


Camera Shy

by Sophia_Ravencrest



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ben Solo is a Boudoir Photographer, Boudoir Photography, Consent, Dirty Talk, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Light Angst, Loss of Virginity, Oral Sex, Photography, Praise Kink, Rey Needs A Hug, Rey is a Shy Engineer, Reylo - Freeform, Sex, Shameless Smut, Smut, Smutmuffins, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Virgin Rey (Star Wars), photograph me like one of your French girls, reylo au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:13:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 23,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23864323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sophia_Ravencrest/pseuds/Sophia_Ravencrest
Summary: Although she is a highly successful engineer, Rey has always felt self-conscious about her appearance. When her friends give her a photography session for her birthday to boost her confidence, she is reluctant, to say the least. Little does she know that photographer Ben Solo specializes in boudoir, and he's on a mission to do everything he can to show her how beautiful she really is.COMPLETE
Relationships: Rey & Ben Solo, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Side Gingerose, Side Stormpilot - Relationship
Comments: 199
Kudos: 598





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for joining me on my latest adventure starring Ben and Rey!

“Happy birthday, Rey!” chorused Rose, Finn, and Poe from their booth at Maz, the nightclub a few blocks from the apartment building they all lived in. As Rey approached the table, her friends scrambled out of their seats to enclose her in a group hug. 

“Sorry I’m late, everybody,” Rey murmured as they released her. “I got caught up at work.”

“Seriously, Rey, the way you work, you’d think you’re the only engineer in R&D,” Poe scolded. “You need to take it easy.”

“She can’t help being brilliant!” Finn came to Rey’s defense. “Not every company gets to hire one of the youngest female mechanical engineers to come out of MIT.”

“Besides, you’re the birthday girl; you’re not late. We’re just early!” Rose chirped. 

Rey smiled appreciatively as they took their seats in the booth, noticing that her friends had already ordered her favorite cocktail from the bar. It was great to have people who worried about her, defended her, and celebrated her. Growing up without that kind of support was tough, but it made her all the more grateful to have found a family in Rose, Finn, and Poe.

“We got you something!” Rose burst out before Rey’s lips had even touched the rim of her glass.

“Well, if it’s anything like Mr. Sparky, I know I’ll love it,” Rey grinned, patting her purse.

Rose rolled her eyes. “I’m not building you a stun gun every year, Rey. You need to be attracting guys, not just zapping them.”

“To be fair, she hasn’t  _ technically _ zapped anyone,” Finn argued. “Not yet, anyway.”

“But threatening to taze a handsy frat boy in the nuts with that monstrosity is not  _ technically _ attracting them, either,” Poe pointed out. 

“He deserved it,” Rey shrugged. “So why the obsession with my love life today?”

“Because it’s your birthday and you need to get laid,” Rose sang out. 

“Rose, could you please not announce that to the whole club,” Rey hissed at the other woman, turning red. 

Although Rey was comfortable with her friends knowing she was a twenty-two-year-old virgin, it wasn’t exactly something she was eager to share with complete strangers. She felt awkward enough around people without having her biggest secret broadcast.

“I think what Rose is  _ trying _ to say,” Finn glared at Rose, “is that we wanted to do something for you on your birthday to show you how amazing you are.”

“Rey, you’re a beautiful woman-” Poe started, and Rey snorted in derision. She certainly didn’t feel beautiful, and she hadn’t for a long time. 

“Look, we just want you to see yourself the way we see you, so we got you, a, um…” Finn trailed off nervously. 

“I swear, if you and Poe finally caved and let Rose call a male stripper, I’m going to kill all three of you,” Rey scolded, raising her eyebrows. 

“No, no, no. Nothing like that,” Rose replied, holding her hands up defensively. “We got you a portrait session with an amazing photographer!”

“We know how much you enjoy art; your and Rose’s apartment is covered with it,” Poe explained. “So we thought it would be cool if you could work with this photographer and  _ be _ the art.”

“Oh,” Rey mumbled, looking down. “That’s really thoughtful of all of you.” 

Finn took her hand and gave her a pleading look. “We know you’re a little hesitant about having your picture taken, but we thought this could be a great experience for you.” 

Her friends had obviously put a lot of care and effort into this gift. Despite her aversion to having her appearance captured on film, she didn’t want to seem ungrateful or disappoint them. 

“Thank you,” Rey said finally, smiling at each of her friends. “I’ve always wanted to work with an artist.”

Finn and Poe sighed in relief, and Rose piped up, “Good! Because you’re meeting him tomorrow afternoon at his studio.”

***

Rey sat in her car and frowned at her phone, checking the address again. It looked like she was parked in front of an apartment building, not a photography studio. She got out of her car apprehensively, wondering what her friends had gotten her into this time.

When she stepped into the vestibule behind the front doors, she scanned the directory for Kylo Ren Photography and pressed the buzzer. A deep, sexy male voice greeted her, sending a pleasant shiver down her spine. She didn’t understand how his voice could sound so smooth through an intercom. 

“I’m Rey,” she finally managed. 

“I’ve been expecting you. I’ll be right with you.”

When the speaker cut off, she heard the telltale click of the latch on the inner door. She grabbed the door handle quickly, letting herself into the lobby. While she waited, she took in the high ceilings, exposed pipes, and huge windows, recognizing the structure as an old industrial warehouse. Rey had spent a reasonable amount of time visiting such buildings during her work as a mechanical engineer, but until now, she had never seen a warehouse that struck her as charming.

Her exploration was interrupted by a rumbling noise coming from the direction of what she assumed was a converted freight elevator. When a chime sounded and the doors opened, Rey’s first thought was that the man who emerged fit perfectly with his surroundings. He had a ruggedly handsome face framed by chin-length, black, wavy hair. His enormous, muscular frame was accentuated by the thin, black T-shirt that stretched across his chiseled chest and exposed his powerful arms. 

Rey had never seen a more attractive man in her life, which did nothing to calm her nerves about the meeting ahead. She tried to collect herself as he strode toward her, suddenly self-conscious in her yoga pants and oversized fuzzy sweater. When he flashed her an adorable crooked smile, she thought she might hyperventilate. 

“I’m Ben Solo. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Rey,” he greeted her, extending his hand.

There was something sensual about the friction of his skin against hers as she slid her fingers across his heated palm. As his huge fingers wrapped around her hand, a delightful tingle crept up her arm. She breathed in sharply at the sensation and dropped his hand, her eyes widening as they met his warm gaze.

“Ben Solo?” she asked nervously. “Are you the photographer?”

Letting out a rich laugh, he replied, “Yes, I am. Kylo Ren was the name I used when I left art school; I thought it sounded cooler than Ben Solo. By the time I came to my senses, I had already made a name for myself, so I didn’t want to change the name of my business.”

His laugh was infectious, and Rey couldn’t help but giggle at his story. “Don’t feel bad; when I was a kid, I dyed my hair red and made the kids at school call me Guinevere. We all go through phases.”

“Well, at least you aren’t stuck with it. Unless you want me to call you Guinevere?” he questioned, his voice dropping on the name as his eyes sparkled mischievously. 

As far as Rey was concerned, he could call her whatever he wanted if he said it like that, but she wasn’t about to voice that thought aloud. Instead, she just swallowed and answered, “Rey will do just fine.”

“Well then, follow me, Rey,” he said, leading her toward the elevator. 

As he held the door for her, he asked, “What do you do for a living, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“I’m a mechanical engineer,” she offered as the doors closed. “I’m developing cheaper, more efficient solar panels.”

“That’s incredible.” He sounded like he meant it. “How long have you been doing that?”

“Since I graduated from MIT. A few years now.”

“Years?” he asked incredulously. “Wow. You look so young. Remind me to ask you for your skincare routine.”

She blushed a deep red at his comment, always uneasy when someone mentioned her appearance. 

He obviously noticed her discomfort because he quickly apologized, “I’m so sorry. I meant that as a compliment.”

“No. Um, yes. I mean, it’s okay,” Rey stammered. She took a deep breath and started again, “I’m only twenty-two. I graduated from college when I was nineteen.”

“That’s impressive. Graduating from MIT at nineteen is no easy task,” he said, holding the elevator door open for her as she stepped out. “Your parents must be proud.” 

Stiffening, she looked at her feet. It was meant to be a friendly remark, she knew, but he had managed to unwittingly find another old wound. She felt a gentle hand brush her wrist momentarily, followed by that pleasant little jolt of electricity up her arm. 

“Rey? What is it?” His voice was softened with a level of concern that made her meet his chocolate brown eyes. 

“My parents, they…” she started, tears forming in her eyes. The rest of the words tumbled out as she fell into the gentle caress of his gaze. “They’re dead. I was raised in foster care.”

“God, Rey, I’m so sorry.” His hand settled on her shoulder, and his thumb stroked her collarbone through her sweater, leaving little trails of heat in its wake. She knew the contact was meant to be casual, but the fire it stoked within her was anything but. 

“It’s okay,” she breathed. “There’s no way you could have known.” 

“Still, I wish it hadn’t happened,” he murmured, his thumb still rubbing softly against her. She didn’t know whether he meant her parents’ death, her time in foster care, or the fact that he had brought it up. But she did know he was sincere. He sighed, trailing his hand down her arm as he dropped it back to his side. 

“Do you still want to see the studio?” he asked, breaking the spell between them. 

“Absolutely,” she reassured him, giving him a small smile.

He guided her to the end of a short hallway. When he opened the door, Rey let out a little gasp as she took in the beautiful space. Enormous windows took up most of the far wall of the high-ceilinged room, which sported an assortment of furniture and lighting equipment. Her gaze settled curiously on the lofted bedroom and the kitchen below it. 

“You live here, too?” Rey inquired admiringly, and Ben nodded. “It’s gorgeous.”

“Thank you. I love this place. All the natural light is great for photography,” he explained.

“I’ll bet the commute isn’t bad, either,” she quipped, and he laughed. She decided she liked making him laugh.

He gestured toward a collection of colorful couches clustered around a coffee table. “Why don’t we sit down and talk about the shoot a little bit?”

Rey settled herself on a comfortable loveseat, and Ben took the adjacent sofa. 

“First of all, I was curious what your goals are for our session,” he said, balancing a laptop from the coffee table on his knees.

“I’m not really sure,” she hedged. “My friends just surprised me with this last night.”

“Are the photos going to be for you? Or will you be sharing them with someone special?” he asked, leaning in intently. 

“Just for me,” she stated firmly. “There isn’t anyone I’d share photos of myself with.”

“I see.” He sounded almost relieved as his fingers skidded across the keyboard. 

“Are there any particular shots you’re interested in?” he questioned, and it struck her that he took his clients’ needs very seriously.

“I didn’t have anything specific in mind, I guess. I don’t really know how this works,” she admitted. She certainly wasn’t about to tell him that she hadn’t allowed anyone - not even her friends - to photograph her in  _ years _ . 

He hummed thoughtfully. “Why don’t we take a look through my portfolio? We can get an idea of the type of aesthetic you’re interested in.” 

Leaning forward across the coffee table, he pulled a black leather book toward them. Rey stared curiously, as the front was laced like a corset and the cover was locked with an elaborate silver clasp. Unable to help herself, she pinched the clasp and the book snapped open.

Rey blushed slightly at the first page, which displayed a rather revealing black and white photograph of a woman in lingerie. Admittedly, it was a beautiful photograph, and it was tastefully shot. She just hadn’t been expecting it, and she quickly schooled her features in an attempt to hide her surprise.

Refusing to look up, she quickly turned the page, only to find a picture of a naked woman wrapped gauzy white material, silhouetted artistically in front of a window. A nervous fluttering started in the pit of her stomach as she continued to flip through the book. It was obvious Ben was an incredibly talented photographer, but it was also obvious that he was exclusively a boudoir photographer.

Running a hand over her face, she wondered what the hell she was going to do. She didn’t want to disappoint her friends, and she didn’t want to offend Ben. However, she sure as shit wasn’t going to sit around in her underwear while a stranger took her picture. She was sure she would never look as good as the people in his photographs. 

“Are you not finding anything to your liking?” Ben asked quietly, obviously picking up on her distress. 

“That’s not it,” she said carefully, not meeting his eyes. “These photographs are all incredible.” 

“But?” he asked gently.

“I’m not… I didn’t know you were…” she stammered, embarrassed. 

“Oh,” he said, his eyes widening in recognition. “I take it your friends didn’t tell you what kind of photographer I was.”

“No, they neglected to mention that little detail,” she explained, taking a deep breath and looking up at him. “I know they mean well; they just want to boost my confidence.”

“Rey, the last thing I want is for you to feel uncomfortable,” he said amicably. “If this is something you’d rather not do, just say the word.”

Considering the situation, he was being incredibly gracious. But the truth was, she really did want to work with an artist, especially one as talented as Ben. 

“No, I still want to do this,” Rey told him. “I would love to have a piece of art that I was part of creating. I’m just not comfortable with anything… revealing.”

“Rey, I can photograph you in whatever you choose to wear,” he said kindly. “I just want to help you see yourself in a new light. That’s my job.”

“Thank you, Ben,” she breathed in relief, smiling again. 

When he beamed back at her crookedly, she thought just maybe this would be fun after all. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am overwhelmed by the response to Chapter 1. Thank you so much for stopping by and reading my story!
> 
> In true Sophia fashion, I increased the chapter count because I can't help myself.

“This one’s not that flattering,” Rey frowned as she examined herself in the dressing room mirror. She  _ hated _ mirrors; it was one of the many reasons why she hadn’t gone shopping in so long. 

“I’m sure it looks great,” Rose reassured her through the door, as Rey contemplated the skimpy blue garment she wore. She hesitated to call it a dress, given the fact that the side and back panels were absent, leaving most of her torso exposed.

“I don’t know,” Rey said dubiously, eyeing the low-cut neckline. It definitely wasn’t her typical style. Rey stuck to loose-fitting, casual clothing unless she was at work, where she wore dress pants and button-down blouses. 

“Come on; let me see it!” Rose begged, knocking on the door. “I refuse to let you wear sweatpants during your photoshoot tomorrow!” 

“I’m going to try something else on,” Rey determined. “You don’t need to see this one.”

“Oh yes, I do! You’ve rejected the last ten things you’ve tried on; you clearly need a second opinion,” Rose argued from outside the dressing room, and Rey cringed. She could hear Rose’s determination through the door. This wasn’t a fight she was going to win. 

“I swear to God, Rey, if you don’t open that door in ten seconds, I’m going to break it down and haul your ass out of there, whether you’re dressed or not!” 

Rey wasn’t sure that what she was wearing truly qualified as “being dressed”, but she cracked the door open anyway. Pushing into the dressing room, Rose gasped and her eyes lit up when she saw Rey’s appearance. 

“You. Look. Amazing!” Rose squealed. “You are definitely buying that one.” 

“You really think so?” Rey asked, looking doubtful. 

“I know so,” Rose answered with certainty. “That hunky photographer’s eyes are going to fall out of his head when he sees you!”

Rey rolled her eyes at Rose, already regretting confiding in Rose about how attracted she was to Ben. Crushing on a guy she had just met was completely new to Rey, so she hadn’t been able to keep it to herself. She always joked that she was married to her work, but the truth is she had never really been interested. Until now. 

“I really doubt that,” Rey sighed. “The man is a  _ boudoir _ photographer. I doubt one dress is going to blow his mind. He’s seen literally hundreds of women in their underwear.”

“And speaking of  _ underwear _ ,” Rose began, planting her hands on her hips. “I’ve seen your laundry, and you are not going to that session wearing a plain white bra and cotton panties. I forbid it!” 

“What’s the point? He’s not going to see them anyway. Despite your little scheme, I’m keeping my clothes  _ on _ , remember?” Rey emphasized. 

Rose narrowed her eyes and spoke in a dangerously sweet tone. “Rey. Sweetie. I promise if you go home without at least a week’s worth of new dresses and lingerie, I will personally burn your entire wardrobe.”

Rey gulped as her roommate continued, “So while you decide which of these other stunning dresses you will be purchasing, I will be in the lingerie department picking out some things for you to try on. And you  _ will _ try them on.”

***

Rey woke up early the next morning, despite the fact that it was the weekend. She was just too keyed up about the impending photo session to sleep in. As nervous as she was about posing in the revealing dresses Rose had picked out, she couldn’t deny that she was excited to see Ben again. 

While she scrubbed and shaved in the shower, she mentally ran through the instructions that Ben had given her for the session. Come with clean, dry hair and no makeup, wear casual clothes, and bring a wardrobe for the shoot. When she asked him what else she needed to bring, he had murmured, “just you”, in a voice that made her forget to breathe. 

When Rey finally emerged from the bathroom after drying her hair, she was dressed in her comfiest MIT sweats. She was tiptoeing back to her bedroom to check her wardrobe one last time when a sleepy Rose appeared. Rose froze mid-stretch when she caught sight of Rey. 

“Do  _ not _ tell me that you are going to a photoshoot with the world’s sexiest photographer dressed like  _ that _ ,” Rose scolded. 

“He told me to dress casually,” Rey pointed out, hoping that Rose would be too tired to argue.

Rose gave her an exasperated look. “I don’t think he meant that you had to look like you just rolled out of bed.”

“What’s wrong with my favorite sweatpants?” Rey asked indignantly.

“Nothing’s  _ wrong _ with them. You’re just not leaving this apartment wearing them,” Rose replied, pointing toward Rey’s bedroom. “Now go change.”

Rey stomped into her room and shut the door as Rose called, “And don’t forget the fancy underwear!”

Grumbling to herself, Rey pulled out the lacy black thong and matching bra from where she had stashed them in the back of her underwear drawer. She snapped off the tags viciously and changed into them. Locating her nicest tracksuit, she pulled it on and opened her bedroom door.

“There. Happy now?” Rey huffed.

“Are you kidding me?” Rose let out. “Get back in there.”

Returning to her dresser, Rey yanked out her green leggings and an oversized T-shirt from her last 10K. Upon exiting her bedroom, Rose gave her a withering look. 

“What kind of yoga class do you think is happening at this photoshoot?” Rose asked dryly. 

Rey sighed resentfully. “Alright, fine. I’ll try again.”

“On second thought,” Rose winked mischievously, “maybe a little downward dog is just what the doctor ordered.”

“Rose!” Rey blushed as she returned to her room. Shutting the door behind her, Rey wracked her brain for another casual outfit that would be acceptable to Rose. 

When she emerged from her bedroom for the third time in athletic clothing, Rose threw her hands up and cried, “Oh for fuck’s sake! Just let me in there.”

Digging frantically through Rey’s clothes, Rose unearthed a pair of tight-fitting blue jeans and white tank top that Rey was sure she had never worn. “Ah ha! I knew you had to have something good in here somewhere!” 

Rey had barely finished changing when she glanced at the clock and realized it was time to go. She gathered up her dresses and grabbed the rolling suitcase containing the variety of heels and costume jewelry that Rose had made her purchase. Hugging Rose, she thanked her again for the thoughtful gift. 

“You can thank me when Buff Boudoir Ben blows your mind!” Rose sang, holding the door for Rey. 

It was a relatively short drive to Ben’s loft, and Rey spent every minute of it attempting to avoid freaking out about the impending session. By the time she made it to the door of his building, she was so worked up that her hand shook as she pressed the buzzer. 

“Good morning, Rey,” Ben rumbled through the speaker as the door unlocked. “I’ll be right down.” 

She was glad that a response was not required, since her mouth suddenly felt very dry after hearing Ben’s deep voice again. If she hadn’t had her hands full with the dresses and the rolling suitcase, she would have been pacing the lobby of the building. Instead, she shifted her weight anxiously from one foot to the other and tried not to implode from self-consciousness. 

Ben arrived quickly, heralded by the groaning of the elevator. He smiled crookedly at her when the doors opened, and her stomach flipped over. She tried to smile back, but she was sure it came out as more of a grimace.

“Here, let me take that for you,” Ben offered kindly, relieving her of the awkward burden of the dresses. Rey thanked him quietly, looking at her feet. 

“Hey, are you okay?” he asked with concern, putting his free hand on her shoulder. Her flesh tingled pleasantly at the contact between their bare skin. 

“Just a little nervous,” Rey mumbled, biting her lip. 

He slid his hand from her shoulder to her chin and tilted her head up, so she would meet his eyes. Her breath caught in her throat as she dove into his warm, brown gaze. 

“Don’t be afraid,” he pleaded gently. “We’ll only do what you’re comfortable with.”

The words sounded oddly intimate falling from his lips, and her heart rate doubled as her eyes wandered to his mouth. She wondered what those plush lips would feel like pressed against her own. When he wet his lips with his tongue, she felt a little dizzy. 

Her eyes flicked back to his, and she realized he was waiting for her to answer. She wasn’t sure she could form words, so she simply nodded. Placing a light hand on the small of her back, he gently steered her into the elevator. His touch didn’t retreat until they reached the door of his loft. 

He opened the door and held it for her as she stepped inside. Taking her suitcase, he gestured for her to sit on the couches in the living area. Hanging up her dresses on a garment rack in the corner, he commented, “These are going to be lovely.”

“My roommate Rose helped me pick them out. Fashion isn’t my strong suit,” Rey laughed, deflecting his praise. 

“No, Rey, I meant they’re going to be lovely  _ on you _ ,” he clarified, his voice dropping an octave as his eyes bored into hers from across the room. She could feel herself blushing as she tried to formulate an appropriate response to the compliment. If it was one of her friends, she would have just blown them off, but there was something about it coming from Ben that felt different. 

She was saved from having to answer by a knock on the apartment door. Letting out a breath she didn’t know she was holding, Rey watched curiously as Ben answered the door. A cheerful woman about Rey’s age bustled in, wheeling an elaborate bag behind her. 

“Good morning, Ben! And this must be Rey!” the other woman chirped. “I’m Kaydel. I’ll be helping with your hair and makeup this morning.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Kaydel,” Rey said, trying to hold in her surprise. She didn’t know she was going to be professionally styled, but she realized it probably should have been obvious, given Ben’s instructions to come without makeup, not that Rey normally wore any. 

“I’m going to check out your wardrobe, so I can figure out what kind of look we’re going for,” Kaydel said brightly. 

“And I’m going to make you a mimosa, if you want one,” Ben offered.

“That would be wonderful,” Rey accepted gratefully, hoping a touch of alcohol would calm her nerves.

“My pleasure,” he answered, turning toward the kitchen.

He returned shortly with a champagne flute full of orange liquid. As she extended her arm to capture the beverage, her fingers brushed against Ben’s hand. Her eyes met Ben’s smoldering gaze, and her stomach filled with butterflies as she carefully accepted took the glass from his grasp. His fingers lingered over hers until they heard Kaydel squeal from across the room, breaking the spell.

“Look at all the fun heels and jewelry you brought! Ben, you have to see this stuff. This is going to be a great shoot!” Kaydel gushed as she approached them.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Ben said, giving Rey a smile before he went to examine the contents of Rey’s suitcase.

“But first, we are going to get you situated, Rey,” Kaydel announced. “Take a seat in the chair by the window, and I’ll get started on your hair while you finish your drink.”

Casting one last glance at Ben, Rey did as Kaydel requested. Rey noticed immediately that the chair by the window put her back to Ben, which was too bad, because she would have liked an excuse to watch him. Despite her disappointment, Rey was soon engrossed by Kaydel’s friendly chatter. By the time Kaydel had finished with her hair and makeup, Rey was feeling much more relaxed. 

“Alright, my dear, you’re all set!” Kaydel trilled. “And you look fabulous, if I do say so myself.”

“Thank you, Kaydel,” Rey replied. “I appreciate your time.”

“Oh, you’re so welcome!” Kaydel answered cheerfully. “I wish I could stay and hang out for the shoot, but I have another client this morning.”

Rey waved at Kaydel as she headed toward the exit. As the door closed behind Kaydel, Rey realized that she and Ben were once again alone in his apartment. She glanced around, searching for him, eager to lay eyes on him again.

Ben’s voice echoed from behind a mass of lighting equipment that hid his form. “Rey, I’m going to have you change into the blue dress with the sapphire heels first. I’m almost ready for you.”

She couldn’t see him, but she answered in the affirmative and did as he bade her. Taking the blue dress and heels, she headed behind the folding screen set up in the corner of the room. Given that she was about to strip down in her crush’s apartment behind a flimsy piece of wood, she was grateful that she had imbibed earlier. 

Rey peeled off her tank top, unclasped her bra, and pushed down her jeans, leaving her in only her lacy black panties. With a thrill that went straight to her core, she listened to Ben rustling around on the other side of the apartment. She had never even kissed a guy before, much less been in her underwear in the same room as one. It made her lightheaded knowing that if she simply stepped out from behind the screen, he would  _ see  _ her.

Slipping on the blue dress, she struggled with the fastenings. She cursed Rose silently for making her buy the complicated garment. After she let out a little huff of frustration, she heard Ben’s footsteps approach, and her heart thundered in her ears.

“Everything okay, Rey?” he murmured smoothly. 

“Yes!” she squeaked. “Just give me a minute!”

Finally, the zipper yielded beneath her panicked fumbling, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Slipping into the sparkling blue heels, she closed her eyes and inhaled slowly. On the exhale, she opened her eyes and stepped out from behind the screen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the cliffhanger! I promise I have already started the next chapter. 
> 
> Thank you, readers, for taking time to read, comment, and leave kudos. It means the world to me!
> 
> A special thank you to my fantastic friend and beta bellestar for her endless encouragement and support. 
> 
> If you are interested in fic recs, I do a weekly spotlight of a favorite fic on my Tumblr @sophiaravencrest.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M BACK! So sorry for the delay; real life got me bad. I hope to post much more regularly for the next few weeks.

When Ben caught sight of Rey, his eyes widened, and he swallowed thickly. He didn’t say anything; he simply stared at her for what felt like an eternity, his eyes raking over her body from bottom to top. She didn’t know how to process the look that he was giving her, so she just stood silently before him, growing more embarrassed by the second. She felt herself flush from her cheeks down to her chest. 

“Do I look that bad?” she whispered, feeling moisture gathering at the corners of her eyes. She wrapped her arms around her exposed midriff, attempting to cover herself. 

“No, Rey,” he answered huskily, closing the distance between them. “Quite the opposite.”

He took Rey’s hands in his own, gently pulling them away from her torso. His eyes were soft and concerned as he held her gaze, and she felt her heart contract. She desperately wanted to believe his words, but vicious whispers from her past crept up to feed her doubt. 

Still holding her hands, Ben gently tugged her toward an ornate full-length mirror set up in the staging area for the shoot. He positioned her in front of the glass and came to stand behind her, his hands on her shoulders. Rey was looking down at her feet, dreading the moment when she would be confronted with her reflection. 

“Look at yourself, Rey,” he commanded softly. 

He trailed his hand from her shoulder and up the front of her neck, lightly pushing upward on her jaw to tilt her head up. The sensation of his hand sliding along the sensitive flesh of her neck was exquisite. He was close enough to her that she could smell his scent, an intoxicating combination of sandalwood and citrus.

His hot breath tickled her ear as he murmured, “Look.”

Lifting her eyes hesitantly to her reflection, Rey couldn’t help but let out a gasp. She barely recognized the sophisticated woman in the mirror with her flawless skin, her sparkling eyes, and her gentle curves. Overwhelmed, she covered her face with her hands.

“Rey, what is it?” Ben asked compassionately, stepping to face her. 

“You made me pretty,” Rey choked on the last word. 

“That beauty is always part of you; I didn’t create it. My job is to help you see it in yourself every day,” he replied quietly. 

“But I don’t know how,” she whispered miserably. 

“I’ll help you learn,” he told her kindly. “What do you need right now, Rey?”

“I don’t know,” she sniffled, feeling utterly lost. 

“What about a hug?” he asked with a sad smile. 

Gazing up at him, she saw only warmth and sympathy in his eyes, and she nodded her consent. He stepped forward and embraced her, wrapping his muscular arms around her. She slid her hands around his waist and laid her head on his chest, letting the rhythm of his heart calm her as he rubbed her back soothingly. She could get used to being held like this. 

“Better?” he inquired as he released her, far too soon for her liking. 

“Better,” she confirmed, giving him a small smile. 

“Are you ready to get started?” he asked, returning her smile. 

She nodded and sighed. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Just remember: I don’t want you to do anything you’re uncomfortable with,” he emphasized. “You are the most important part of the art we create today.”

Unable to form words, Rey simply nodded again. There was something about the unconditional kindness and grace with which he handled her insecurities that left her speechless and in awe. She had never met a man like Ben. 

He continued, “I’m going to give you a lot of suggestions for what to do with your body. It is going to feel a bit awkward, but I promise it will look fantastic on camera. Of course, if there’s anything you don’t want to do, just tell me.”

“I will, Ben,” Rey promised, feeling reassured. “I’m ready.” 

His face lit up at her response. “Trust me; this is going to be fun.” Rey couldn’t help but smile in return.

“To start, I’m going to have you stand right there.” He gestured toward a white screen that was surrounded by lights, and Rey obeyed. 

Picking up his camera, he instructed, “Put your right foot forward a bit, so your heel just lines up with the front of your left foot. Good. Now lift your right heel slightly.”

When Rey wobbled a bit in her high-heeled shoes, Ben stepped forward swiftly to steady her. 

“Don’t worry; I’ve got you,” he assured her as she regained her balance. 

She thanked him and sheepishly admitted, “I always wear flats.”

“Would it help if I got you situated for the shot?” Ben asked her. 

“That would be great,” she said with relief, not really knowing what to do with her body. Her relief quickly turned into a thrill of nervous excitement when he knelt down and gently cupped the back of her ankle to pull her right foot forward. She held her breath as he slid one hand behind her knee and one beneath her foot, bending her leg into the preferred position. 

On his knees before her, his hands still on her leg, Ben turned his smoldering gaze up to her face and inquired softly, “How does that feel?”

“G-Good,” she stammered, feeling the full force of his mesmerizing stare. It actually felt incredible to have his hands on her legs, but she wasn’t going to say that out loud. That didn’t stop her from imagining what it would be like for him to slide his hands up her thighs, pushing her dress up so he could bury his face between her legs.

“Perfect,” he affirmed as he rose, making Rey blush as his voice played into her fantasy. Hearing him praise her  _ did _ something to her, but if Ben noticed her pink hue, he didn’t say anything. He simply stepped back, lifted his camera, and began to shoot. After a few clicks, he pulled his face back from the camera and gazed at the viewscreen. 

“Absolutely perfect,” he murmured to himself. Meeting Rey’s gaze, he instructed her, “I want you to put your right hand low on your hip, like this.” 

He showed her what he meant by resting his hand over the pocket of his jeans. The action caused his pants to sink lower on his hip, exposing a tantalizing wedge of bare skin below the hem of his T-shirt. Rey’s eyes were drawn to the unveiled swath, which boasted an impressive array of muscular planes. Fighting to keep her mouth from falling open at the sight, Rey bit her lip and wondered what it would be like to trace those lines with her fingertips. 

“Rey?” Ben called softly. “Would you like me to help you?” 

Rey tore her eyes from his torso and forced herself to focus on his face. He wore the sweetest expression of concern she had ever seen, and her heart did a little flip at the sight. She shook her head to clear it as much as to answer him. 

“No, I think I’ve got it,” Rey finally answered, mirroring his hand placement. 

“Good,” he approved, bringing his camera back to his face and clicking the shutter a few times. “Now, take your left hand and bring it gently to your temple.”

This time Rey quickly obeyed, determined to avoid getting distracted again. She focused her attention on the camera lens, trying not to think about her attraction to the man behind it.

“I want you to very slowly move your hand down the side of your face and neck,” Ben rumbled from behind the camera as the shutter began clicking furiously. Rey exhaled softly as her fingers languidly glided down the side of her face, slipped over her jaw, and grazed her neck. 

“Yes, Rey. Again,” Ben commanded gently. 

Rey’s lips parted slightly as she obeyed, finding that part of her enjoyed having him tell her what to do. She began to imagine a very different scenario in which Ben might order her to touch herself. She wondered what it would be like to have him watch while her hand crept toward her center, plunging into her wet folds as he said-

“Good girl. Again.”

Rey had to swallow a moan at his words. She could feel the moisture pooling between her legs, and she was acutely aware of the fact that she wore only lacy black panties beneath her dress. No one had ever had this kind of effect on her before, and she was quickly becoming intoxicated by the feeling. 

She fought to get herself under control as she followed his command, and she wasn’t sure if she was relieved or disappointed when he told her, “I think I captured what we need in that dress. Why don’t you change into the silver evening gown while I get set up for the next shot?”

Once again, Rey found herself behind the wooden screen in only her underwear, listening to the soft sounds of Ben preparing the studio. She slipped on the silky silver dress, which settled snugly over her torso and trailed down to the floor. It had a generous slit in one side that exposed her upper thigh, a feature that Rose had insisted was “smoking hot”. 

As she glanced down to slide yet another pair of heels on her feet, she realized that she had a problem. The gauzy silver dress wasn’t exactly transparent, but she could definitely see the black panties through the material. She cursed quietly. 

“You okay, Rey?” Ben asked from across the room. 

“Yeah, just, uh, fighting with the heels again,” Rey quickly lied. 

Ben chuckled amiably, “Carry them over here, and I’ll help you. I’m ready for you anyway.”

Panicking, Rey impulsively pushed down her underwear and placed them on top of the rest of her clothes. She grabbed the heels and hurried to where Ben was waiting for her in the corner of the studio. 

“Rey,” he breathed, “You look lovely.”

“Thank you,” Rey replied with a shy smile, peeking up at Ben through her lashes.

He grinned in return, and then commented thoughtfully, “But I think you should wear the crystal drop earrings with it. Have a seat on the chaise, and I’ll get them for you.”

Rey sat down, placing her high heels on the floor as she watched Ben squat down to search for the jewelry in her suitcase. His position gave her an enticing view of his ass, and she couldn’t help but wonder what the muscle would feel like beneath her hands. Her musing was interrupted as he rose, earrings in hand.

Once he was standing in front of her, he said, “Turn your head to the side.”

As she complied, Ben bent over her and gently threaded the earring through her pierced ear. His face was so close to hers that she could feel his breath, and his heady scent washed over her. If she had turned her head, she could have kissed him. The thought of his lips moving over hers made her dizzy, and she was suddenly glad she was sitting down. 

She was so enthralled by his closeness that she almost missed his murmur, “Other side, please.” 

Twisting her neck, she gave him her other cheek, and he repeated the process. When he was finished, he laid a soft hand on the side of her face and simply said, “Stunning.”

Rey held Ben’s warm gaze until he dropped to his knees in front of her and picked up one of her shoes. Her eyes flitted to his hands, which lightly lifted her foot to slide it into her shoe. A little sigh of pleasure slipped out from between her lips as his fingertips grazed a sensitive patch of skin on the inside of her ankle. To her relief, he gave no indication that he noticed; he just lifted her other foot and placed the remaining shoe on it. His fingers lingered for a moment at her ankle, and she held her breath. 

“All set,” Ben smiled at her as he stood. “Are you ready?”

Rey returned his smile and nodded. 

“This time I’m going to have you lay on your side on the chaise and with your elbow up on the back,” Ben instructed. 

Rey carefully swung her legs up onto the seat of the chaise, mindful of the fact that she wasn’t wearing anything beneath her gown. When she scooted up the chaise to put her arm across the back, the slit skirt of the dress fell on either side of her leg, giving Ben a full view of her outer thigh. She glanced up at him anxiously as she attempted to cover her exposed leg.

Giving a small shake of his head, he husked, “Leave it, Rey. It looks…” He cleared his throat. “It’s very photogenic.”

“Really?” she replied, looking dubiously at her leg. 

“Really,” he answered, his voice deep. “Do you mind if I help position you?”

“Go ahead,” she consented. There was something about Ben’s gentle manner that put her at ease, despite the fact that she was out of her comfort zone. 

He stepped forward and placed his hands on her waist, shifting her into a half-sitting position against the back of the chaise as if she weighed no more than a feather. The feeling of his hands on her body was electric, and it sent little thrills through her. The sensation was only intensified when he carefully arranged her arms, his fingers ghosting across the bare flesh there. She shivered with pleasure.

“Are you cold, Rey?” Ben asked, his hand still on her arm.

“I’m okay, Ben,” she managed shyly. “Thanks for asking.”

“Let me know if you do get cold; I can turn up the heat for you,” Ben told her, and she nodded. 

Rey secretly thought that if she got any hotter, she would probably start on fire. She was saved from inevitable combustion when Ben stepped back to photograph her. 

She watched as he moved smoothly around the studio space, adjusting lights and snapping shots from different angles. He was incredibly graceful for such a large man, and she suddenly wondered if every part of him was big. What would it feel like to wrap her hand around his manhood and slide it between her lips? Rey had never even wanted to kiss anyone before this, much less put a man’s cock in her mouth, but there was something about Ben that awoke things in her that she hadn’t known were there.

But that didn’t mean he felt the same way, Rey reminded herself. This was his job, after all. He routinely photographed women in much less than she was wearing. There wasn’t anything special about her. She didn’t compare to any of the other women he had photographed. How could he be interested? 

Rey’s spiraling thoughts were cut short when Ben looked up from his camera and suggested, “Let’s take a break, Rey. I know holding these poses can be tiring.”

Rey sat up, stretching and sighing in relief, “I am sort of starting to feel like a misused pretzel.”

  
Ben chuckled in response, “I don’t think anyone has ever quite put it that way before.”

“Well, you’ve never met anyone like me before,” Rey smiled teasingly. 

“I certainly haven’t,” Ben winked, and Rey swore her heart stuttered. “Do you need anything? A snack? Another mimosa?”

“Another mimosa would be fantastic,” she answered gratefully and attempted to get to her feet. 

Once again, she wobbled dangerously in her heels, and Ben caught her elbow. He tucked her arm into his wordlessly, acting for all the world like he was leading her to a formal ball instead of into his kitchen. She suppressed a giggle when he pulled out a chair and gestured for her to sit. No one had ever treated her with such care before, and it made her giddy.

The feeling stayed with her as Ben guided her gently through the rest of the shoot, carefully posing her body and copiously praising her as she modeled for him. By the time the camera shutter clicked for the last time, Rey felt like she was floating on air, and she knew it wasn’t the second mimosa. She was actually disappointed that the session was over, despite her initial hesitation, and she knew that it was all thanks to Ben. 

As she changed out of her final outfit behind the dressing screen, Ben packed up the rest of her wardrobe for her. While she dressed back into her jeans and tank top, he explained that it would take him a couple of weeks to prepare her photos. To her great pleasure, he told her that they would meet again at that point to go through the pictures together. 

Ben walked her out to her car, carrying her dresses and suitcase for her. After he had placed them carefully into her car, he smiled down at her and promised, “I’ll call you as soon as they’re ready.”

“Thanks, Ben. This was really… thanks,” Rey finished lamely, unable to find the words to tell him how good it felt to spend the day with him. Instead, she went on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek softly. When she landed back on her heels, he turned his smoldering gaze on her, and she completely lost her nerve. 

“See you soon,” she squeaked in embarrassment as she hurried to get into her car. She quickly shut the door and turned on the engine, muttering to herself about what an idiot she was. As she drove away, she glanced in her rear-view mirror to see Ben still standing on the sidewalk, touching his cheek, an unreadable expression on his face. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my readers for waiting so patiently for this update! Knowing you wanted to read more really motivated me. I appreciate all of you.
> 
> Special thanks to my bestest beta bellestar for sticking with me through my writing drought and being a fabulous cheerleader!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it getting hotter in here?

“How am I supposed to face Ben now? Last time I saw him, I  _ kissed  _ him, Rose!” Rey fretted to her roommate as she rifled madly through her dresser. 

“I know, Rey, but like I’ve been telling you for the last two weeks, it was just a kiss on the cheek. Nothing to freak out about,” Rose soothed. 

“But what if he thinks-” Rey started.

Rose interrupted sternly, “Rey. Sweetie. We’ve been over this. It’s not like you jumped him and stuck your tongue down his throat.”

Rey sighed, “I know, Rose. I’ve just never felt this way before, and it feels… big.”

Rose gave her a sly look. “That’s what you’ll be saying when he slips you his-”

“Rose!” Rey barked as Rose ducked the T-shirt Rey threw at her. 

Giggling wildly, Rose said, “Now, back to the problem at hand: what to wear to the big reveal tonight with Buff Boudoir Ben.”

Rey peeked at Rose hopefully, “My MIT sweats?”

Rose narrowed her eyes. “Don’t. You. Dare.”

“Can’t blame a girl for trying,” Rey mumbled. Letting out a frustrated sigh, she added, “I don’t know how to do this, Rose. I’m used to trying  _ not _ to be noticed.”

“Let me help, then,” Rose begged. “He’ll notice you when I’m done with you.”

“I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard,” Rey hedged. 

  
“Please,” Rose wheedled, “I promise you’ll look fuckable  _ and _ classy.”

“Okay, okay. You win, Rose.”

“Yes!” Rose squealed, pumping her fist in the air. “How long until you have to leave?”

“About three and a half hours,” Rey answered. 

“Perfect! I know just what to do.”

Rey was in a daze as she walked up to Ben’s building, having spent the afternoon in the hands of the whirlwind of energy that was her roommate on a mission. Normally, Rey would have fought Rose every step of way, but she desperately wanted Ben to notice her. 

Rose had dragged her from one end of the mall to the other and back in search of the perfect little black dress, something Rose assured her that every woman needed to have. After that, it had been a beauty store, from which Rey emerged with a bag of cosmetics after a complete makeup demo on her face. Rey even let Rose pick out a pair of lacy black boy shorts and a matching push-up bra for her at a lingerie shop. 

However, when Rose reached for a pair of black, thigh-high hooker boots, Rey had put her foot down. After an impressive squabble that had an old lady tutting at them, they had compromised on a pair of strappy black kitten heels. Rose had been pulling her toward a nail salon when Rey checked the time and realized she had to leave immediately to make it to Ben’s place on time. 

After quickly changing into her new outfit in the mall bathroom, she had hugged Rose gratefully and rushed to her car. Because Rose had kept her so busy, she hadn’t really had time to get anxious about seeing Ben again. Rey suspected that getting her out of her head was part of Rose’s plan, and she was immensely thankful. 

Of course, now that she was standing next to the callbox in Ben’s building, the memory of her lips against his cheek hit her full force, and her heart started to race. She wondered for the hundredth time what he thought of her. 

Before she could work herself into a nervous frenzy, the door to the lobby swung open, and Ben stood before her. He looked absolutely delicious in a white button down shirt and dress pants with a crooked smile dimpling his face. His citrus and sandalwood scent hit her with intoxicating force, and she realized in that moment that she had already memorized it. 

“Good to see you, Rey,” Ben greeted warmly, holding the door and gesturing into the lobby. 

“Good to see you, too, Ben,” Rey returned, smiling shyly and stepping inside.

As they made their way upstairs to his apartment, he asked her how she became interested in engineering. 

  
Rey answered animatedly, “When I was a kid, I liked to take things apart and put them back together, just to see how they worked. It drove my foster parents crazy, especially when I modified whatever I was working on. I remember the day I replaced the springs in the toaster and the bread hit the ceiling. I wasn’t allowed near the appliances after that.”

“Sounds like they didn’t appreciate your genius,” Ben commented quietly.

Rey shrugged, “It didn’t slow me down much. My science teacher, Ms. Field, used to keep a box of spare parts in the storage room for me to tinker with after school. When I was sixteen, she helped me with my application for MIT. Once I was there, I could play with whatever I wanted, although I guess my roommate wasn’t too keen on me reprogramming her electric toothbrush to play ‘All By Myself’ after her breakup.” 

Ben barked out a laugh. “I didn’t even know that was possible.”

“What about you?” Rey asked as they reached his door. “How did you get interested in photography?”

“I was originally studying political science, but when I took my first art elective sophomore year of college, I was drawn to the beauty that artists could capture in everyday things. Then I took a photography class junior year, and that was it. It was like there was something inside me that had always been there, but suddenly it was awake.” Ben’s gaze was dreamy as his eyes locked with hers. 

“I know exactly what you mean,” Rey murmured as she dove into his warm brown orbs. 

Smoldering down at her, he opened his mouth as if he was about to say something. When his lips closed without any words escaping, Rey couldn’t help but feel she had missed something important. Before she could work up the nerve to ask, he opened the door to his apartment and led her inside. 

“Have a seat here, Rey,” he said, gesturing to the loveseat in front of the coffee table. 

Rey obeyed, sinking into the comfortable cushions, and to her surprise and pleasure, Ben sat right next to her. He sat close enough that she could feel the heat radiating off his body and his elbow brushed her upper arm when he reached for his laptop. When he opened it, she couldn’t help but let out a little gasp.

The screen displayed a photograph of her standing in the blue dress, and even Rey had to admit the picture was a stunning piece of art. The lighting was perfect, bringing out the olive tones in her skin and the green in her hazel eyes. She couldn’t help but notice the way the pose he had chosen lengthened her legs and accentuated her curves. Most of all, she was drawn in by the fierce expression on her face. For the first time in her life, Rey saw a glimmer of what her friends had been telling her was there all along. Ben had perfectly captured her independence, her resilience, her… beauty. 

“Wow…” Rey breathed in awe, unable to tear her eyes from the screen.

“I’m glad you approve,” Ben rumbled beside her. “Would you like to see the rest?”

Rey nodded silently, still staring at the photograph of her in the blue dress. Over the next thirty minutes, Ben patiently advanced through the collection of pictures as Rey slowly drank them in. He didn’t say anything except to ask her if she was ready for the next photograph; he just let her take in the fact that the beautiful woman on the screen was really her. 

When they arrived at the end of the collection, Ben quietly closed his laptop and turned to Rey. “I take it they were to your liking?”

Peeking up at him with wet eyes, she answered, “Ben, they’re perfect. Thank you so much.”

He dazzled her with a smile. “It was my pleasure. I haven’t enjoyed a shoot this much in a long time.”

“Really?” she asked, her eyes widening.

“Really,” Ben replied, his expression becoming serious. “Rey, I have to ask you something. I hope you won’t feel like it’s too forward.”

Rey’s heart pounded in her ears, and she was surprised she could hear him continue, “These pictures… they’re the best I’ve ever shot. And it’s because of you. You are, without a doubt, the most breathtaking person I’ve ever photographed, and I’m not ready for this to be over.”

Her jaw dropped at his admission, and she could feel herself start to blush a deep red as he begged, “Please, Rey, will you pose for me again?”

Rey could barely process what she had just heard. Ben wanted to photograph her again because he thought she was beautiful. No, not just beautiful. Breathtaking. The most breathtaking person he’s ever photographed. 

“I…” Rey hesitated, overwhelmed. “I’m not ready for this to be over, either.”

“Is that a yes?” he inquired hopefully.

She bit her lip and peered up at him. “Yes.”

He grinned crookedly at her and asked, “Ready?”

“Right now?” she asked, surprised. 

“Only if you’re comfortable with that,” he replied quietly. “I don’t want to interfere with your plans.”

Rey thought for a moment before she answered. “I’m free tonight, but I didn’t bring anything for a photoshoot.”

“Don’t worry about that, Rey.” Ben paused before he continued, “I was hoping you would let me photograph you in something I picked out for you.”

She let out a little surprised “oh” as she realized just how much thought he’d put into this. “In that case, I’m ready.”

He rewarded her with another dazzling smile and stood from the loveseat, extending a hand to help her up. Still holding her hand, he led her to the studio area of his apartment. He stopped in front of a clothes rack containing only an elaborate black corset and a floor-length tulle ball skirt. 

Letting go of her hand, he set up the changing screen as she gazed at the clothing Ben had chosen for her. She had never put on a corset before because they tended to attract attention Rey would much rather avoid. However, the fact that Ben wanted to see her wearing one suddenly made her want to try it on. 

“You’ll want to put the corset on first, then the skirt,” Ben explained, standing next to her again. “We’ll worry about shoes once you’re dressed. Does that sound okay?”

Rey nodded as Ben draped the skirt over the top of the changing screen and handed her the corset. She slipped behind the screen, staring at the beautiful black corset in her hands, realizing she had no idea how to put it on. But she was an engineer, damn it. She could figure out how a corset worked. Turning it over in her hands, she studied the silver clasps in the front and the ties in the back. The basic idea wasn’t that complicated.

After stripping down to only her underwear, Rey returned her attention to the corset. She unfastened the clasps and wrapped it around herself. After a minor struggle with securing the clasps, the corset hung loosely on her torso. Rey reached around to her back, finding the ties with her fingertips and tugging experimentally. However, no matter how she pulled and held the strings, the corset never got any tighter. She let out a frustrated little huff. 

Ben must have heard her because he asked, “Everything okay, Rey?”

Defeated, she admitted, “I can’t get the corset to tighten. I’ve never worn one before.”

“It’s your first time,” Ben realized out loud. “Do you want me to help you?”

“Yes, please,” Rey requested, stepping out from behind the screen. Ben’s eyes widened as she faced him, and he swallowed. She squeaked when she realized belatedly she hadn’t yet put on the skirt and was standing in front of Ben in only her lacy black boyshorts and a corset. She froze, unable to even retreat behind the changing screen. He strode forward and grasped her shoulders, gently spinning her so that her back was facing him. 

Rey’s heart raced at his proximity as she felt him tighten the laces at the top of the corset. She could feel his hot breath ruffling her hair as he moved lower, his clever fingers pulling at the laces so the corset was snug across her chest. When he reached the bottom, his fingertips brushed against her bare skin, and she inhaled sharply. 

“Rey?” His voice was deep and husky.

She slowly turned to face him, and her breath caught in her throat when she saw his eyes. The warm brown had been swallowed by the black depths of his pupils, and his gaze scorched over her body like wildfire. Her stare dropped to his lips and flickered back to his eyes, trying to fathom his thoughts. 

He saved her the trouble. “I want to kiss you, Rey.”

Her eyes went wide and her lips parted in surprise as her heart fluttered in her chest. Heat raced through her blood in a way she had never felt before. “I want you to,” she whispered.

“You do?” he murmured as his eyes bored into hers. “Ah, you do,” he purred.

Ben stepped forward, closing the gap between them as he slid his hand to cup the nape of her neck. She shivered in anticipation as he tilted his head downward and pressed his lips gently to hers. The sensation of his mouth against hers was transcendent, and her eyes slipped closed as his lips began to move. She returned his kiss timidly, her arms sliding around his neck.

When his tongue caressed the seam of her lips, she moaned helplessly. He slipped gently into her mouth as it opened, sliding his tongue against hers. She reacted instinctively, tangling her tongue with his as her hands wove into his soft tresses. When she tugged at his locks to pull him closer, he groaned and pulled her flush against his body. 

A hard bulge pressed against the front of her lacy underwear, and her eyes flew open. She froze at the realization that he was  _ ready.  _ Was she? What was he expecting? Breaking their kiss nervously, she looked up at him. 

His gaze was filled with concern. “What’s wrong? Did I do something you didn’t like?” 

Catching her breath, Rey answered shyly, “No, I liked it. Actually, I really liked it. It’s all just very… new.”

The word slipped out before she could stop it, and she hung her head in embarrassment. She hadn’t meant to tell him that. His fingers found their way under her chin, and he tilted her head up so she would meet his eyes. She didn’t see any pity or mockery in them, just concern. 

“Are you trying to tell me that was your first kiss?” he asked softly.

Biting her lip, Rey gave a tiny nod.

“Oh, sweetheart,” he said, pulling her into his arms. “That’s nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, I’m honored that you chose me to be your first.”

As she nestled into his chest, he rubbed her back soothingly, and she asked quietly, “Can we just take things slow?” 

“Of course, Rey. I don’t want to do anything you aren’t comfortable with.” Ben hugged her tightly and released her as he continued, “Would you like to continue with the shoot?”

Rey smiled up at him. “Yes, I would.”

He nodded toward her corset and panties. “How would you feel about posing in that?” 

Blushing, she thought about it for a moment. Would it really be so bad to have him take a photo of her in her underwear? She wasn’t trying to hide from Ben, after all. She trusted him.

“I’m in.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much to my readers for your kudos, comments, and time! It means the world to me that you are on this journey with me.
> 
> Special thanks to my amazing beta bellestar for being so encouraging and helpful! I couldn't do this without you.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the love of smutmuffins, please mind the tags. This chapter gets rather sexually explicit!

“Lay face-down on the couch,” Ben ordered gently, his eyes burning into hers. 

Entranced by the way his voice deepened when he gave her commands, Rey moved swiftly to obey. Very aware that she was on display for Ben in only a corset and panties, she draped herself across the sofa as gracefully as possible. She hissed through her teeth when the cold leather contacted her skin and she felt her nipples pebble inside the corset.

“You alright, Rey?” Ben inquired worriedly.

“Yeah, the couch is just a little chilly. I’ll be fine,” she assured him.

“You’re sure?” he asked. “I want you to be comfortable.”

“I’m okay. I promise,” she replied, waving away his concern.

“In that case, bring your left side to the edge of the couch and let your left knee fall over the edge,” Ben instructed. 

Rey felt the lacy boy shorts ride up as she complied, baring the bottom of her ass to Ben. 

“Good,” he affirmed, and she tried not to squirm at his praise.

“Now bring your left ankle up and hook the top of your foot over the cushion,” he directed. He studied her form as she lifted her foot, and he hummed to himself thoughtfully. “I know what we need. Can you hold that pose, Rey?”

When she nodded, he rushed away, returning a minute later carrying a pair of black stiletto heels in his hand. He knelt at her side and lightly grasped her ankle, taking the pressure off her muscles as he slipped the shoe on her foot. With his thumb, he caressed the sensitive spot on the inside of her ankle, causing her to close her eyes and sigh with pleasure. 

Moving on to her right foot, he slid on the other black stiletto, his fingers once again tracing patterns on the skin on the inside of her ankle. This time, she felt him leave a lingering kiss there, his mouth moving gently. She bit her lip to keep herself from whimpering as wetness pooled at her center. 

  
Releasing her foot, he stood up and contemplated her position carefully. She could feel the heat of his stare moving across her body as he scrutinized every inch of her. He adjusted her arms slightly, his fingers leaving goosebumps in their wake. 

As she turned her head to watch him, their eyes met. Never dropping his gaze from hers, he simply said, “Perfect.” Her lips parted involuntarily as the praise went straight to her core. 

Ben’s face disappeared behind his camera, and he began to shoot, clicking the shutter rapidly as he moved to capture every angle. 

“Raise your head and chest just a bit,” he commanded. Obeying immediately, she arched her back to bring up her torso. The action exposed the tops of her breasts, which were straining against the tightly laced corset. 

“Good girl,” he murmured, and she felt the wetness between her legs start to soak her panties. “Tilt your head back just a little more.”

Rey complied, exposing her neck to him, and he husked, “Yes, Rey, right there.”

She imagined what it would be like for him to say those words to her while she had her hands on his cock. To hear him beg for her to continue her ministrations. To feel him come undone beneath her touch. She shivered pleasantly at the thought. 

“You’re cold,” Ben declared, misinterpreting her trembling. The heat was back in his eyes as he asked, “Should I warm you up?”

Rey shivered again at the implications and nodded, turning on her side to make room for him on the sofa. He laid next to her, wrapping his arms around her as she nuzzled her face into his neck. He sighed contentedly and pulled her closer, and once again her senses were awash in  _ Ben _ . 

Unable to resist the temptation, she placed a soft kiss where her lips lay against his neck. A strangled noise of pleasure escaped his throat, which only served to embolden Rey. Her lips trailed along his neck and up his jaw, stopping below the angle of his jaw to experimentally suck the flesh into her mouth. He groaned and slipped a hand into her hair, rolling them so she was on top of him.

“Rey,” he breathed. “Kiss me… please.”

Working up the nerve, she kissed his cheek and then the corner of his mouth before capturing his lips completely with her own. He moaned into her mouth and kissed her back, but didn’t try to take control. This gave Rey the opportunity to explore at her own pace, and she used it to memorize every contour of his lips.

When she licked tentatively at his lower lip, his mouth opened beneath hers. Taking the invitation, she slid her tongue along his, and he hummed happily into her mouth. She became more daring, eagerly stroking him with her tongue and lips as an unfamiliar, but not unpleasant, tension began to build low within her belly. The sensation made her wriggle on top of him, and she nearly choked when her center bumped against his hard length. 

Still kissing Ben, Rey gyrated on top of him again and was rewarded with another zing of pleasure between her legs. When she whined against him, he placed his hands on either side of her face to break their kiss. 

“Let me help you,” Ben begged, and Rey gave him a blank look.

“Help me with what?” she asked in confusion. 

“I want you to come for me,” he explained gently. 

Rey’s mouth formed into an “o” but no sound came out. She blushed fiercely, not knowing how to tell him the secret only Rose knew. 

“I don’t know how,” she finally managed, unable to meet his eyes. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“Look at me, Rey,” Ben ordered, and Rey hesitantly raised her eyes. “You’re not broken.”

“How do you know?” Rey said miserably. She had never felt so vulnerable in her life. 

“Let me touch you. I’ll show you how I know,” he told her, his voice dropping an octave.

Eyes wide, Rey nodded her consent, and Ben briefly kissed her mouth. He put his hands on either side of her waist and shifted her up his body slightly, giving him better access to the column of her throat. He kissed his way down her neck, occasionally licking the sensitive skin as if tasting her. When she began to grind her hips against him again, he placed his hands on her ass and held her still. 

“Patience, Rey,” he murmured between kisses, dipping his head lower and lower until he reached the gentle curve of her breasts. He slid his hands back up over the curve of her ass and traveled upward until he reached the laces at her back. She felt the moment he plucked at the threads and the corset loosened. He tugged the garment down, and her breasts came free. 

Ben’s eyes snapped down to the little mounds of flesh, and Rey didn’t have time to register shyness before he took one in each hand. His hands were warm against her as he ran his thumbs over her nipples, which pebbled despite the sudden heat of his skin. She gasped in pleasure when he rolled one of the rosy peaks between his thumb and forefinger. 

Before she could recover, his head darted forward to capture the tip of one breast in his mouth, his hand still lightly pinching the other. She keened with need as he lapped at her flesh, sending little waves of sensation to her core. When he suckled her nipple, she cried out his name. 

“That’s it, baby girl,” he purred as her breast fell from his mouth. “You know who makes you feel good.”

Rey’s eyes slipped shut at his words, and she felt a little gush of wetness soak into her panties. One of his hands made its way back to her ass and his fingers burrowed beneath the lace of her boy shorts, so his entire hand cupped her bare cheek. His hand continued to travel lower, tracing the curve of her ass and moving forward to find her folds. They moaned in unison as he slid a finger through the moisture there. 

“You’re doing so well,” he murmured. “Wet for me already.”

He traced his finger around her entrance and then slid up to find her clit. He circled the little bundle of nerves slowly as Rey gasped. The feeling was unlike anything she had ever experienced, including her half-hearted attempts at masturbation. She felt the tension in her belly building again as he worked on her, and she began to moan his name in time with his rhythmic strokes. 

“Such a good girl.” His voice was throaty. “I know you can come for me.”

Never slowing his pace on her clit, he leaned forward and pulled her breast into his mouth once again. He took the rosy peak between his teeth and flicked at it with his tongue, and the tightness in her belly stretched to its breaking point. When he sucked her nipple into his mouth and strummed at her clit  _ hard _ , a dam inside her broke and she screamed out Ben’s name.

Waves of pleasure threatened to drown her as he expertly led her through her climax, stroking her clit and mouthing her breasts as her inner walls spasmed. When her orgasm subsided into tremors, he gently cupped her dripping flesh and placed soft kisses on her lips. He held her tightly against him with his free arm, and a deep sense of security blanketed Rey, even as she came down from her high. 

Her eyelids fluttered open, and she was greeted by the sight of Ben’s warm brown eyes and his soft smile. She couldn’t help but smile back at him as she lay completely relaxed in his embrace. 

“Rey, you were perfect,” he purred, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she blushed at his praise. “How do you feel?”

“Incredible,” she told him honestly. “I’ve never felt this way before.”

He kissed her temple and murmured, “I know what you mean.”

“But you didn’t…” she trailed off with the anxious realization that he was still hard and ready and unfulfilled beneath her. 

“That’s not what I was talking about,” he said quietly, stroking her cheek with his thumb. “This was just for you.”

Rey’s brow furrowed as she asked, “What did you mean, then?”

“Rey, I’ve worked with a lot of women in my time, and none of them has ever made me feel the way you do. You’re sweet and smart and funny and gorgeous. I want to see you again,” he professed. 

“Ben,” she breathed in awe. “I want to see you again, too.”

When he moved to capture her lips once more, her stomach growled loudly. She giggled, and he smiled crookedly at her. 

“Shall we discuss it over dinner?” he inquired. “I’ll cook for you, if you want.”

“I’d like that,” Rey agreed with a shy smile. 

Thirty minutes later, Rey was back in her little black dress, sitting across from Ben as they ate the spring rolls he had prepared. She leaned toward him, listening raptly as he finished recounting the tale of meeting his best friend. 

“Hux is a bit of an acquired taste, but he really is a good guy. He’s been there for me through a lot of hard times,” he told her. 

“Good friends are worth holding onto,” Rey nodded, thinking of her own dear friends. “Which reminds me. Friday night, Rose and Finn and Poe and I are meeting at Maz.”

“The club downtown?” Ben asked.

“Yeah,” Rey confirmed, “we’re getting drinks there after work. You should come.”

“I’d love to, but I’m having dinner with Hux that night,” he replied, disappointment flavoring his tone.

“Come after dinner,” Rey said brightly. “And bring Hux.”

“I’ll convince him somehow.” Ben’s eyes sparkled as he continued, “It’s a date.” 

Rey smiled broadly, still trying to wrap her head around everything that had happened. She felt giddy and light, and it had nothing to do with the lingering haze from her mind-blowing orgasm. 

Glancing at the clock in the kitchen, Rey’s eyes went wide. “It’s ten o’clock already?”

“Yeah. Why? Out past curfew?” he teased. 

“Something like that.” She grimaced. “I better get going before Rose shows up accusing you of kidnapping me.”

“She’s a little protective, huh?” Ben asked through a smile. 

“Well, she gave me a wicked stun gun as a birthday gift once, so I’d say that’s pretty accurate,” Rey giggled.

“I like her already,” he remarked. “Let’s get you home.”

Ben kept a light hand on her back as he walked her to her car. When they reached her vehicle, she stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him sweetly on the mouth. He reciprocated affectionately, carding his fingers through her hair as his lips moved against hers. When she flicked her tongue against his upper lip, he broke away with a grin.

“As much as I’d like to continue this,” he said huskily, “I have no intention of running afoul of your roommate, so I’m going to say goodnight.”

He opened the car door for her, and she slid into the driver’s seat. She was still gazing at him longingly as he shut the door and started walking back to his building. Checking her phone for the first time in five hours, Rey groaned. She had received no less than nineteen text messages from Rose. As the engine turned over, Rey was already grimly preparing herself for the onslaught of questions from her roommate.

Before she could take the car out of park, a knock sounded on her window, startling her. When she recognized Ben’s face, she rolled down her window.

“Ben, what’s wr-” Her question morphed into a surprised squeak as he captured her lips in a desperate kiss. He devoured her mouth like he was starved, his tongue diving deep to stroke hers, sending an electric thrill down her spine. Rey’s head started spinning when his teeth grazed her lips, and a lusty whimper escaped her throat. By the time Ben released her again, she was panting with need.

Rey’s eyes widened as he placed his lips against her ear and whispered hotly, “I’ll be waiting for you when you’re ready, baby girl.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much, readers, for your amazing response to this fic! You make it so much fun to share my stories. 
> 
> Special thanks to bellestar, who is so dedicated that she beta'ed my work via text message during a work retreat!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is basically just a bunch of fluff, with the promise of more smut in the next chapter! There is a very brief moment of sexual harassment aimed toward Rey (not from Ben, of course), so you may want to skip past this chapter if that's triggering for you.

Rey shifted in her seat for the hundredth time since she, Rose, Finn, and Poe had claimed their customary booth at Maz. She adjusted the skirt and straps of her short, red cocktail dress again, unable to do what she really wanted, namely rip off the matching red thong and bra that Rose had forced her to wear beneath. 

“What’s the matter, Rey?” Rose giggled, leaning toward Rey as they watched Finn and Poe on the dance floor. 

“You know perfectly well what the problem is,” Rey snapped. “I hate this underwear, and I hate you for making me wear it.”

“You’ll thank me when Buff Boudoir Ben is fucking your brains out,” Rose assured her.

Rey responded dryly, “The last thing I would say while having sex with Ben is ‘Thank you, Rose’.”

“You’re right. I’m sure it’ll just be, ‘Harder, Daddy, harder!’” Rose shouted the last three words above the music booming through the club.

“I swear, Rose, keep your voice down, or I will strangle you with your own hair,” Rey hissed.

Rose was undaunted. “It’s not like I’m wrong. That man is definitely a Da-”

Rey lunged at Rose and clapped a hand over her mouth just as Ben appeared at their table with a tall, red-haired man in tow. Rey blushed furiously as she wrestled Rose, whose frantic yelling was muffled by Rey’s hand. Ben watched the scuffle unfold with an amused expression, while the ginger simply raised an eyebrow. Rey lost the battle when Rose licked her palm, and Rey dropped her hand from Rose’s face in disgust. 

“Hey Daddy!” Rose triumphantly greeted Ben, as Rey hid her face in her hands. “Who’s your hot friend?”

“You must be Rose,” Ben chuckled. “Rose, this is Hux.”

“Hux, you sit that fine ass next to me,” Rose demanded, and Rey contemplated crawling under the table. Peeking between her fingers, she watched Hux’s incredulous expression transform into a shrug as he took the unoccupied seat next to Rose.

“Hux, this is Rey,” Ben introduced her with a grin. 

“So you’re the girl Ben won’t shut up about,” Hux snarked. 

“Me?” Rey mouthed in surprise as Ben slid into the booth next to her. 

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulled her to his side, and murmured, “You. Just you.”

Kissing her temple, he observed, “You look like you could use a drink. What would you like?”

Without thinking, Rey answered, “Sex on the Beach,” and immediately blushed at the double meaning. 

“Whatever you want, baby girl,” he purred in her ear, his lips grazing her earlobe. When Ben got up and headed in the direction of the bar, Hux took Rose’s drink order and followed suit. 

“Holy shit, that man is into you,” Rose burst out when the men were out of earshot. 

“You really think so?” Rey asked. 

“Rey. Sweetie.” Rose gave her a knowing look. “Did you see his face when you said ‘Sex on the Beach’? I thought he was going to eat you.” 

Rose winked and added, “I guess he still might do that later tonight.”

“Enough, Rose!” Rey objected, smacking her roommate’s shoulder, but she secretly wondered if Rose was right. She imagined Ben’s mouth at her center, his plush lips and clever tongue caressing her most sensitive areas. She bit her lip as she envisioned what it would be like to come on his mouth. 

“Penny for your thoughts?” a deep voice said in her ear, and she jumped. She blushed; she had been so engrossed in her fantasy that she failed to notice Ben’s return. He set down Rey’s drink in front of her and took his place beside her. She snatched up the cocktail and drank deeply, hoping that having a little alcohol in her system would help her relax. 

“Damn, Rey! Slow down!” Rose exclaimed loudly. “Didn’t you know that Sex on the Beach is meant to be savored?”

Rey choked on her drink as Rose sniggered beside her. Rey glared at her incorrigible roommate as she coughed. Rubbing her back gently, Ben asked her if she was alright.

“Yeah. Just went down the wrong way,” she managed between coughs. “Thanks, Ben.”

The appearance of Finn and Poe provided Rey with a momentary respite from Rose’s comments as another round of introductions got underway. 

“So you’re the photographer,” Poe declared warmly. “Thanks for making Rey’s birthday present such a positive experience.”

“It was my pleasure,” Ben replied sincerely.

“Yeah, I’ll bet it was,” grumbled Finn. 

“Don’t mind Finn. He just doesn’t like to share,” Poe said apologetically, throwing his arm around Finn’s shoulders. “We’re glad you’re taking good care of our girl.”

“I appreciate that,” Ben replied. “She’s truly one of a kind.”

“And don’t you forget it, buddy,” Finn groused. 

Rey’s heart swelled as she listened to the exchange. She felt so lucky to have friends who wanted the best for her, even if they got overprotective sometimes. Ben seemed to take it all stride, smiling good-naturedly at her friends’ various responses to him. 

Rey felt herself begin to relax as the alcohol made its way into her bloodstream and she listened to the group’s amicable chatting. She leaned against Ben’s side, and he stroked her bare collarbone with his thumb. She smiled when she realized how easily he fit into her life. 

When the first few notes of a familiar song pounded through the club, Rose shrieked, “Oh my god, Rey, I love this song! You have to dance with me!”

Rose tugged at Rey’s arm, pulling her out of the booth and onto the dance floor. Rey shot Ben an apologetic glance as Rose dragged her away, and he reassured her with a crooked smile. As she followed Rose to the center of the writhing mass of dancers, Rey felt the driving beat thump in her chest and she gave in to the urge to let her body follow it. 

The two women danced without reservation through that first song and into the next, but when the crowd began to jump to the rhythm of the chorus, Rey suddenly lost sight of Rose. As she stood on her tiptoes and scanned the crowd for Rose, Rey felt a hand slap her backside, and she turned sharply with a scowl on her face. 

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she shouted above the music, glaring daggers at the owner of the offending hand, a man about her age that she didn’t know.

“Just saying hello, baby,” he slurred. 

“Well, I’m not interested in being acquainted, so get lost,” she snarled and turned away to look for Rose.

She felt his fingers wrap around her wrist hard and yank, spinning her back towards him as he shot back, “I don’t think so, princess. You’re asking for it in that short little dress.”

“Leave me alone!” Rey yelled as she struggled to free her arm from his grasp. She started to panic when she realized she had left her stun gun in her purse back at their table, and the man laughed. His mirth was cut short abruptly when Ben emerged at Rey’s side, his face like a thundercloud. 

“She said no,” Ben growled at him through clenched teeth. Rey’s eyes widened at his tone; this was not the gentle, mild-mannered Ben she had come to know.

The other man immediately let go of Rey and stepped back, putting his hands up in surrender. “Sorry, man, I didn’t know she was taken.”

“Don’t apologize to me, asshole. Apologize to her,” Ben gritted out.

Rolling his eyes, the offending man huffed a sour “sorry” in Rey’s direction. Clearly unimpressed with the man’s attitude, Ben advanced toward him and bent to say something in his ear that Rey strained to hear. The man unceremoniously fled the dance floor, pushing through the crowd roughly. Ben’s glare followed him until he vanished through the back door of the club. 

When Ben turned his eyes to Rey, his gaze softened and warmed. He placed a gentle hand on her cheek as he asked, “You okay?”

“I don’t know,” she said shakily, trying not to think about how the situation might have gone if Ben hadn’t appeared. 

Ben held his arms open to her, and she stepped gratefully into his embrace. She trembled in the circle of his arms as he stroked her back soothingly.

“I’m so sorry about that guy,” Ben murmured remorsefully into her hair. “I got here as fast as I could.”

“Thank you for saving me,” Rey responded gratefully, snuggling against his chest. “Normally, I let Mr. Sparky do the talking for me.”

Ben’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Who’s Mr. Sparky?”

“Mr. Sparky’s my stun gun,” Rey explained, and Ben’s lip quirked. “So what did you say to that guy anyway?”

“Oh, I just told him to mind his manners,” he answered nonchalantly. 

“Right,” Rey remarked with disbelief. “I’m sure that’s why he looked so… motivated.”

“I can be very motivating when I want to be,” Ben said innocently. “I don’t think he’ll bother you again, but I’ll talk to Maz just to make sure.”

“You know Maz?” Rey asked curiously.

“We go way back,” Ben explained with a smile. “She’s a friend of my dad’s.”

“You’re full of surprises,” Rey commented, peeking up at him through her lashes. 

He leaned down, placed his lips against her ear, and murmured, “You have no idea.” His hot tongue traced the shell of her ear, and she shivered with pleasure. He dragged his teeth across her earlobe, sending a thrill down her spine and straight to her center. She sighed his name as she squeezed her thighs together, suddenly conscious that she had only a thong to capture the moisture building between her legs.

“Dance with me?” Ben asked, and Rey could only nod, still overwhelmed by the sensations brought on by the man in front of her. 

Closing her eyes, she let the music wash over her once again and began to move to the beat. When she felt Ben’s hands land on her hips, she opened her eyes and wound her arms around his neck. She stepped closer, molding her body against his as they danced. The friction between them was delicious, and Rey was light-headed from breathing in his mouth-watering sandalwood-and-citrus scent. She ground her pelvis a little harder against him as she threaded her fingers into his soft black locks, and she heard a little groan escape his throat.

“Rey,” he panted in her ear, “Do you want to get out of here?”

Biting her lip and gazing up at him, she answered, “Yes.” Then she added, “But what about Hux?”

“I’m pretty sure he’ll be fine,” Ben replied dryly as he nodded toward their booth. 

Rey’s mouth dropped open when she caught sight of Hux. Or rather, Hux and Rose, who was straddling the ginger with her tongue jammed down his throat. Though he hardly looked like he minded, given the fact that his hands were planted firmly on her ass. 

“Rose  _ does  _ tend to get her way,” Rey observed. Ben chuckled in Rey’s ear as he wrapped his arms around her torso from behind. Rey laughed helplessly along and leaned into his embrace. 

Dropping a kiss on her temple, Ben rumbled, “Ready?”

“I just have to grab my purse,” Rey nodded, and Ben released her so she could collect her belongings. 

This proved to be a rather mortifying experience, as her purse had come to rest against the tangle that was Hux and Rose. Grimacing, she reached for the strap and gingerly pulled her bag away from the couple, hoping to go unnoticed. She thought she’d gotten away with it until Hux’s eyes popped open, and he  _ winked _ at her. Rey could feel herself turning as red as her dress as she fled back to Ben, who was shaking with laughter. 

“Oh, shut up!” she groused, lightly smacking him on the shoulder. “Next time, I’m making you rescue my purse.”

“Next time... I like the sound of that,” he remarked thoughtfully, and Rey felt a grin split her face at his response. 

Her fingers entwined with his, and she tugged him toward the door. Poe gave them a friendly wave as they passed him at the bar. Finn turned to blow Rey a kiss, and then he gave Ben the “I’m watching you” signal with a stern expression. 

Hailing a cab as they exited the club, Ben inquired, “My place or yours?”

“Definitely yours. I’ve seen enough of the Rose and Hux Show for one night,” Rey joked. 

Ben laughed and gave the cab driver his address as he opened the door for Rey. She slid into the back seat of the cab and Ben followed, gathering her to his side. Rey nuzzled his neck with her nose, breathing in his heady scent and feeling dizzy with anticipation. She shivered as she remembered Ben’s promise to her the last time they were alone: “I’ll be waiting for you when you’re ready, baby girl.” Ben held her closer as she trembled and asked her if she was alright. 

“More than alright,” she replied as she gazed up at him through her lashes. “I had a really good time with you tonight. Thank you for coming.”

“It was my pleasure, Rey. I enjoyed meeting your friends,” Ben answered, his cheeks dimpling.

“I’d wager to say Hux enjoyed himself the most,” Rey quipped.

Ben chuckled and said huskily in her ear, “We’ll see about that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much, readers, for your amazing response to this fic! It is so motivating to know you are having as much fun reading as I am writing. Your hits, kudos, and comments are so encouraging!
> 
> Thank you, as always, to my incredibly supportive beta bellestar for everything she does to keep me and my writing going. 
> 
> More to come soon!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please mind the tags- this chapter is sexually explicit. I have been busy baking smutmuffins for you, and there are EVEN MORE on the way!

As soon as the door of his apartment closed behind them, Ben swept Rey into his arms and crushed his lips against hers. She squeaked in surprise, but quickly returned his passionate kiss, moving her mouth eagerly against his. He pressed her against the wall of his apartment, his hand cradling the back of her head as his tongue caressed her lower lip. A breathy little moan escaped her throat, and he took the opportunity to deepen the kiss. When his tongue tangled with hers, Rey’s head spun as if she had consumed twice as many cocktails that night. She sank deeper into his touch, his scent, and his taste, until she was drowning in  _ Ben. _

She whimpered with loss when Ben came up for air. Chest heaving, he rested his forehead against hers and panted, “I’ve been waiting all night for that.”

“Me too,” Rey agreed emphatically.

“Have I told you how incredible you look?” he asked, his smoldering gaze sweeping over her body. 

“I don’t think we got that far,” Rey answered with a shy smile. 

“You are the most beautiful creature I have ever laid eyes on,” Ben began ardently. “I can’t stop thinking about you. I’ve looked at the photographs I took of you over and over, and every time, they take my breath away. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. You inspire me, Rey; you’re my muse.”

Tears filled Rey’s eyes when he spoke, and she struggled to reconcile the sincerity in his voice with the words her foster father had burned into her mind. “I’m nobody. I’m nothing,” she said, hanging her head as she squeezed her eyelids shut to hold back her tears.

“Not to me,” he reassured her in his deep voice as he wrapped his arms around her. “Rey, you are extraordinarily beautiful, inside and out.”

Rey shook her head and sobbed out, “No, I’m not.”

He held her tightly against him with one arm and cupped her chin with his other hand. He tilted her head up, so she would meet his piercing gaze as he demanded, “Who told you that?”

Rey inhaled sharply, wondering momentarily if somehow he  _ knew _ . He couldn’t possibly know, because  _ nobody _ knew, not even Rose. But there was something about the look in his eyes that told her he would understand. 

Rey’s face contorted with pain as she gave voice to her heart’s deepest wound, the words spilling out of her like fresh blood. “My foster father… he told me that I’m ugly and that’s why no one ever wanted me.”

Never lowering his eyes from hers, he said the words she hadn’t known that she desperately needed to hear, “I want you, Rey. More than anything I’ve ever wanted. In every sense of the word, I want you.”

His confession washed over her, cleansing the doubts from her mind and trickling down to fill the hole in her chest. She gazed up at him in awe and swallowed thickly, trying to put her emotions into words. “Ben, I… I want you, too. I’ve been alone for so long.”

“You’re not alone,” he rumbled. 

“Neither are you.” 

He bent down to capture her lips in a soft kiss, his mouth lingering against hers questioningly. She responded by weaving her fingers through his mane and pulling him closer, caressing his lips with her own. A groan tore from his throat as she tugged at his locks, a preference that her analytical mind filed away for later use. His teeth sank gently into her lower lip, and she felt her center begin to heat. When her tongue shot out instinctively to tease his upper lip, his hands slid down to her hips to pull her flush against him. 

Her eyes snapped open and her tongue froze halfway into his mouth when she felt his hard length press against her. She was suddenly overcome by nervousness upon realizing that she was about to tread into unknown territory. Up until this point, she had always been able to depend on her quick mind to guide her through any situation, but she knew she couldn’t just think her way through this. 

“Rey?” he asked with concern, his forehead resting against hers once again. “What’s wrong?”

The words tumbled out truthfully. “I don’t know what I’m doing, Ben.”

“You need a teacher,” he told her, running a thumb over her cheek. “Don’t worry, Rey. I’ll take care of you.”

“I trust you,” she replied, letting out the breath she was holding. This was  _ Ben _ . He had demonstrated time and time again that he would keep her safe. 

“I’m glad,” he murmured, “because I want to take you upstairs.”

As soon as Rey nodded her consent, Ben scooped her up, sliding one arm beneath her knees and the other beneath her shoulders. A yelp of delight escaped her at his show of strength, and she looped her arms around his neck. She nuzzled and kissed the exposed flesh above his shirt collar as he carried up the stairs to his bedroom, eliciting little grunts of pleasure from his throat. 

When they reached the edge of his bed, he laid Rey gently across the black, silky duvet. He stepped back and just stared as she stretched her body out, his eyes darkening as he took in her form. She bit her lip and returned his gaze shyly. 

He swore under his breath and entreated her, “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”

She watched curiously as he bolted down the stairs, only to return a moment later, camera in hand. 

“Please let me photograph you, Rey,” Ben pleaded. “You look absolutely stunning.”

Rey agreed with a bashful smile, and his face lit up like she had just handed him a kitten. He raised his camera and took a few experimental shots, checking them on the viewscreen. 

“Lay on your back with your legs up on the headboard and cross your ankles” he commanded, and Rey shivered pleasantly at his tone. She moved swiftly to obey him, and as she swung her legs up on the black quilted headboard, the short skirt of her red dress puddled around her hips, barely covering the thong beneath. 

“Good girl,” he praised, and she felt herself flush hotly at his words. He reached down and carded his fingers through her hair, arranging carefully it over the duvet. Rey’s eyes slipped shut at his touch, so she was pleasantly surprised when she felt his lips briefly brush her temple.

“Put your left hand in your hair,” he directed her, and she slid her fingers into her tresses. “Perfect.”

“What about my right hand?” she prompted, and he hesitated a moment.

“Hook your right thumb through the waistband of your panties, just over your right hip, and pull it a couple of inches down your thigh,” he instructed. Rey’s breath hitched in her throat, and she felt the tension in the room rise as she complied, sliding the stringy elastic band of her thong down her leg for Ben to see. 

“Yes, Rey. Just like that,” he said throatily, and she heard the camera shutter begin to click as Ben moved around the room to capture her pose from various angles. 

When the clicking finally stilled, she tilted her head back to look at him. “Where do you want me, Ben?”

He swallowed thickly at her words and ordered, “Up on your knees, facing me.”

She moved to do his bidding, turning around and rising up on her knees. He smoldered down at her as he said, “Good girl. Now I want you to take off your dress for me. Slowly.”

Her eyes widened in surprise as he spoke, but she reached for the hem of her dress anyway. She trusted Ben, and she wanted this. She wanted him to see everything. She wanted  _ him. _

She heard him inhale sharply from behind his clicking camera as she began to inch her dress up over her thighs. Staring more boldly into the camera lens than she felt, she slipped the garment up over hips, revealing her thong to him. The dress slid gradually and easily up over her stomach and bra, to the furious clicking of Ben’s camera shutter. Finally, she brought the fabric over her head and dropped it to the floor, leaving her in only a sheer red thong and bra that left nothing to the imagination. 

When Ben lowered the camera from his face, the heat in his expression took her breath away. He was looking at her like she was the most gorgeous thing he’d ever seen, and it pierced through her doubts like the sun breaking through a raincloud. In that moment, she could see herself as he did: beautiful. 

“Lay down on the bed, Rey,” he husked commandingly. She laid on her back and waited for his next instruction for how she should pose. 

It never came.

Instead, he strode toward the bed, setting his camera on the nightstand. He casually stripped off his shirt, and a little strangled noise fell from Rey’s mouth as the sculpted planes of his chest and abs greeted her. Her eyes followed every line of muscle, and she licked her lips subconsciously as her gaze dropped to the hip bones jutting out above his pants. 

He crawled onto the bed and caged her with his body, placing his knees on either side of hers and one hand on either side of her head. Dropping his head, he brought his lips to her ear and spoke in his deep voice, “I want to know if you taste as good as you look, baby girl. Is that okay?”

Even though the alcohol was on its way out of her brain, she felt distinctly drunk with his hot breath in her ear and his scent surrounding her. He was so close she could feel the heat radiating off his body, and his proximity made her dizzy with anticipation. She moaned out an enthusiastic “yes”. 

His tongue snaked out to slide along the shell of her ear, causing tension to spiral into her core. Humming appreciatively, he latched on to the sensitive spot just beneath her ear, pulling the skin into his mouth and lapping at it with his tongue. She gasped at the sensation, and she felt moisture begin to drip onto the lace at her center. 

He worked his way languidly down her neck, using his teeth, tongue, and lips to pull all manner of pleasured noises from her throat as he sampled every inch of her flesh. She could feel her pulse start to race as he reached the tops of her breasts, and he began to lavish his attention on them. His mouth didn’t falter in its ministrations as he unclasped the front closure of her bra with one hand. 

“Oh!” Rey exclaimed as her breasts came free, and Ben chuckled against her. He peeled the sheer fabric away from her chest, giving him full access to the skin there. Working his way across each mound, he left open-mouthed kisses everywhere but the rosy peaks. When his tongue slid out to circle one nipple teasingly, she whined, feeling it tighten in response. 

Just when she thought she was going to burst from the suspense, he pulled the tip of one breast into his mouth and sucked hard. She let out a breathy little moan, and a gush of wetness soaked through her thong. He took his time with her breasts, suckling contentedly at each nipple until she started to rub her thighs together and wriggle beneath him. 

Reaching down with one hand, he slipped two fingers under her panties and buried them in her folds, settling his fingertips right over her drenched entrance. He cursed quietly and brought his glistening digits to his lips. Her eyes widened and she swallowed thickly when he slid his fingers into his mouth, closing his eyes and groaning as he tasted her arousal. 

“My god, Rey, you taste incredible,” he croaked, kissing his way down her belly. 

He stopped to nip at the skin over her hip bone, and she let out a yelp. He soothed it with his tongue and then continued his downward journey, leaving a scorching trail of kisses along her bikini line. She broke out in goosebumps when he reached her inner thigh and latched on to the skin there. His teeth grazed the flesh as he sucked, and she tingled with the knowledge that he was marking her as his own. 

He slowly peeled her thong away, sliding it down her legs and onto the floor. Placing one hand on each knee, he gently spread her legs and stared with unrestrained wonder at the apex of her thighs. 

“You are so beautiful,” he breathed. “Every single part of you.”

Rey’s breath caught in her throat as he captured her eyes with his heated gaze and bent his head down toward her center. She was wildly unprepared for the moment his hot mouth closed over her sensitive flesh. Her back bowed as she keened, the feeling overwhelming her senses. Ben was undaunted, grasping her hips with his huge hands and gently forcing her back down to the mattress, so his tongue could trace undecipherable patterns through her folds. She whimpered at the stimulation as he continued, its newness thrilling her to her core. 

Without warning he twisted his tongue up into her entrance, and she let out a pleasured gasp. Knowing some part of Ben was  _ inside  _ her was mind-blowing. His tongue slid out of her, but before she could mourn the loss, he thrust it back in. He repeated the action until she was panting with desire. 

“Ben, please,” she begged plaintively, not knowing exactly what she was asking for. She didn’t know what came next, but she wanted to find out. 

Ben seemed to know, however, and he swiped his tongue slowly up from her slit to circle her clit. He swirled his tongue around the little bud and drove her toward the peak she had only ever experienced at his hands. She moaned helplessly and clawed at his duvet as he expertly plucked each nerve ending like a virtuoso, playing a melody that made her body sing. 

She thought she had known the definition of pleasure when she had come on his fingers during their last encounter, but it paled in comparison to the feeling of his lips closing over her clit. He flicked his tongue against the sensitive bud as he suckled it, and Rey groaned out his name with each stroke. She rapidly climbed higher and higher beneath his masterful mouth, until her climax hit her hard and she fell blissfully over the edge with an incomprehensible cry. 

He gentled his touches, lightly mouthing her as he guided her through her orgasm, extending her pleasure without overstimulating her. She sank deeply into his mattress as the last waves passed and the tension left her form, leaving her boneless. 

Crawling up the mattress, Ben scooped her relaxed body into his arms and held her, placing soft kisses on her forehead. She wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that. It could have been hours or minutes; time seemed to have no meaning when she was with Ben. All she knew was that she was suspended in the safety and comfort of his embrace.

His breath tickled her ear when he finally spoke again, “How do you feel, Rey?”

“So amazing,” she sighed contentedly. “ _ You _ are amazing.”

“I’m glad you feel that way,” he purred, “because I’m not done with you yet.”

“There’s more?” Rey replied with open-mouthed wonder.

Ben chuckled and smoldered down at her. “If I have my way, you’ll be coming for me all night, baby girl.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much, readers, for coming on this journey with me and for kindly feeding me so much encouragement! I'm so glad you are enjoying the story. 
> 
> Thank you times a million to my beta bellestar for her endless support of this fic and of me. <3


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my goodness, mind the tags!!! Sexually explicit material ahead! This is 100% pure smutmuffins with pretty much no plot at all.

When Ben’s lips hungrily descended upon Rey’s once again, she briefly wondered if she’d ever get used to the way he kissed her. Then his tongue brushed her lower lip and wiped all coherent thought from her mind. He swallowed her gasp as he thrust his tongue into her mouth, and she clung to him desperately, melting beneath the burning heat of his desire. 

Once he had reduced her to a naked, whimpering puddle in his lap, his mouth traveled to her neck. He pressed a trail of wet, open-mouthed kisses down to her collarbone as his hands found her breasts, his fingertips teasing her nipples into pebbled peaks. His mouth replaced his fingers on one breast, his teeth gently grazing the tip until she pleadingly whispered his name. 

She felt him grin against her and give her nipple a hard suck, causing the walls of her channel to clench in response as she let out a strangled cry. Still reeling from his attentions to her breasts, she almost choked when he began to kiss his way back down to the apex of her thighs. He wasted no time when he reached her center, greedily devouring her with his lips, teeth, and tongue.

Rey had thought that the feeling of Ben’s mouth between her legs couldn’t get any better, but as he slipped one of his long fingers into her entrance, his lips still sealed around her clit, she realized just how wrong she was. 

She tried to remember to breathe as her pleasure doubled with the sensation of being filled, reaching new heights in the wake of her previous release. She panted softly as he slid his finger slowly back out before pushing it back in, giving her the friction she didn’t know she needed. He worked her slowly, giving her time to get used to the new feeling of him pleasuring her both inside and out. 

Soon she was grinding down onto his hand and mouth, breathlessly begging him for more. 

“I’ve got you, baby girl,” he murmured. “Just lay back and relax for me.”

She fell back against the mattress and closed her eyes, willing her racing heart to slow down as she inhaled deeply. He laid the tips of two fingers against her slit, waiting until the tension left her body to gently press them both just inside her entrance. Her breath hitched at the intrusion, the stretch from his large fingers momentarily overwhelming her senses as she clenched around him. 

“Are you okay, sweetheart?” Ben asked, stilling his hand. “We can stop if it’s too much.”

“Please don’t stop,” she entreated him between breaths. “It’s intense, but not in a bad way.”

He lowered his head to lap soothingly at her clit until her muscles softened again, and he nudged his fingers deeper. This time she was ready for the plunge, allowing herself to simply float inside the feeling of stretching around his fingers instead of drowning in it. By the time his fingers sank to the last knuckle inside her, the sensation of fullness had gone from shocking to delicious, the perfect counterpoint to his tongue against her clit.

When he began to pump his fingers steadily in and out of her, she moaned softly, enjoying each stroke more than the last. She felt the fire in her core begin to rekindle under his ministrations, warmth blossoming inside her as he breathed on the coals. The flames roared to life when he began to curl his fingers against the front of her walls, caressing a delectably sensitive spot inside her that she didn’t know existed. 

“Yes, Ben, please, right there!” she cried out in ecstasy as she gripped the duvet. 

Redoubling his efforts, he swirled little circles into her newfound inner pleasure zone while continuing to feast upon the little bundle of nerves outside. She could feel her climax approaching rapidly now, a wildfire scorching through every nerve in her body, building on itself with each passing second. He hummed encouragingly against her, and that vibration was all it took for her orgasm to consume her completely. 

Rey screamed out Ben’s name over and over as she clenched around his fingers, bucking her hips up into his face. He chased her with his mouth, pleasuring her through every last shudder and twitch until she collapsed back onto the bed. 

He laid one last kiss at her center as his fingers slid from her entrance. Crawling up her body, he slanted his mouth over hers, quickly deepening the kiss as he pressed his bare chest against hers. It made her head spin, even in her blissful state. 

This time, when she felt his hard length brush her thigh through his pants, she didn’t shy away. Her hand snaked between their bodies, and she ran her fingers curiously over the firm bulge in his fabric. She carefully explored everything she could reach, her confidence increasing exponentially when he groaned into her mouth. 

Her other hand reached down to join the first, unbuttoning his pants deftly with her clever fingers as they kissed. As she worked the zipper downward, she was met with a pleasant surprise when her fingertips grazed only skin.

He wasn’t wearing any underwear. 

Rey flushed at the realization that in moments there would be nothing left to separate their bodies. As she pushed his pants over his muscular ass, Ben lifted his hips, helping her get his pants off. She couldn’t help but gape when his erection sprang free, red and  _ huge _ . 

Fascinated by the idea that this part of him would go  _ inside _ her, she ghosted her fingertips along his shaft. The skin was hot and soft, and as she wrapped her fingers as far as they would reach around his girth, she discovered it was hard as steel beneath the surface. He let out a ragged breath when she stroked him up and down inquisitively, and he rolled onto his back to give her better access. 

“Rey, that feels incredible,” he encouraged her. 

She finally tore her eyes away from cock to capture his gaze. “Really?”

“The most beautiful woman in the world has her hands all over my dick, so yeah, really, it feels incredible,” he chuckled hoarsely. 

Rey bit her lip, trying to wrap her mind around the effect she was having on this statuesque man. Still watching his face, she began to pump her fist cautiously, gauging his reaction. His lips parted and his eyes slipped shut as he moaned softly. She assumed that was a good thing. 

She experimented with how she caressed him, raptly observing his responses, learning what he liked. She watched the little bead of fluid at his tip grow as she worked on him. Intrigued, she bent over him and caught the drop with the tip of her tongue, studying its unique salty flavor. Ben made a choked noise of surprise, and his eyes popped open.

Rey froze. “Was that… bad?”

Swallowing thickly, Ben was quick to reassure her. “No, sweetheart. It was, in fact, very good.”

“Oh! In that case…” 

She dropped her mouth again, licking the head with the flat of her tongue this time, and she felt him jerk in response. Still gripping the base, she explored the surface of his erection with her lips and tongue, tucking away every gasp and twitch in her mind. When she slipped the tip between her lips and onto her tongue, he groaned her name and cupped her cheek gently, stilling her movement with his hand.

“As amazing at that feels,” he husked, his eyes dark, “I want to be inside you, and if you keep doing that, I’m not going to make it.”

She slid him out of her mouth and released her grip on his shaft, holding his eyes as she agreed, “I want you inside me, too.”

He leaned forward and pulled her onto his lap, so she was straddling his thighs, and she watched intently for his next move. He kissed her tenderly and then leaned his forehead against hers. 

“Rey, I know this is your first time, and I want things to be safe and comfortable for you,” he started affectionately. “I want you to know that I got tested and I’m clean. Are you on birth control?”

“Yes, I have an IUD,” she replied, her heart tugging at his concern for her. 

“I have condoms, too,” he said. “Would you like me to wear one?”

“I trust you,” she answered sincerely. Then she blushed, adding, “And I want to feel you.”

His eyes widened at her words and he swallowed, asking, “Are you sure you’re ready?”

Rey nodded emphatically, “Absolutely.”

He brushed his lips against hers sweetly and reached between them, skimming her damp folds with his fingertips. He hummed with satisfaction at what he found. 

“Still so wet and ready for me,” he remarked, his voice smooth and deep. “Did you like having my cock in your mouth, baby girl?”

“Yes,” she admitted hotly as his words went straight to her center.

“Do you want my cock in that wet little pussy now?” 

She nodded, suddenly breathless with anticipation. 

“Then get on your knees, Rey,” he murmured, patting the bed on either side of his waist. 

She obeyed, placing one knee on each side of him, hovering uncertainly above his lower abdomen. 

“Now take my cock in that pretty little hand of yours and lower yourself onto it,” he rumbled. 

Never dropping her eyes from his smoldering stare, she complied, lining up her slit with the tip of his erection. Her breath caught in her throat when she felt the head slot into place just outside her entrance. His hands landed lightly on her hips, steadying her. 

“I’ve got you, baby girl,” he reassured her. “Just relax and take your time.”

She exhaled softly and bent her knees slightly, guiding the tip of his manhood inside her slowly. It didn’t hurt as the head slipped past her entrance, but they both gasped as it happened. The stretch was intense, but she was ready for the sensation after having his fingers inside her earlier. 

She paused to let her body accommodate to his girth, resting momentarily as his hands stabilized her hips. She lowered herself very deliberately onto his length, adjusting the angle of her pelvis to allow him to slip inside more easily. The feeling of fullness increased exponentially as she took him deeper, his manhood stretching her in every direction. When she bottomed out, she halted for a moment to let herself adjust.

“Good girl, taking my cock so deep into your tight little pussy on the first try,” he said with approval.

As his wicked words of praise washed over her, she clenched involuntarily. She moaned as she felt herself tighten around him. He groaned deep in his chest and squeezed her ass in response. When her muscles relaxed again, she found herself much more comfortable than she had been before. She purposefully repeated the action, enjoying his reaction as much as the sensation itself. 

Feeling ready for more, she raised up, dragging him along her walls as she pulled halfway off of him, only to take him deeper again. She set a cautious pace to start as she got used to the motion, but she soon increased her speed as her pleasure started to build with the friction against her walls.

As she began to ride him harder, she could feel her breasts start to shake with each roll of her hips. Ben had clearly noticed the same thing because she noticed that he watched her chest with rapt attention. Her giggle transformed into a lusty whine when he reached up to palm her breasts, rolling the nipples between his fingers. 

“Look at your pretty tits bounce while you fuck yourself on my cock,” he said hoarsely. “I want to watch you come like this. Can you come for me?”

“I don’t know,” she answered honestly as she continued to move. 

“What if I help you?” he asked, smoldering up at her. 

She wasn’t sure what he intended, but as she looked into his heated gaze, she knew she wanted it. 

“Please, Ben,” she pleaded. 

He took one hand from where it rested on her breast and slid it toward where they were connected, until his thumb grazed her clit. She jolted on top of him at the contact, and as he began to rub circles around the bundle of nerves, she gasped out his name. With his thumb against the pink bud, she thrust her hips harder into his, clenching around him each time she bottomed out. 

Even though she hadn’t even been certain a moment ago if she could find her climax, she knew now that it was inevitable. As he strummed her clit, she rode him with wild abandon, moaning his name over and over, louder and louder as her arousal reached new heights. Her legs began to tremble beneath her as Ben urged her on.

“I want to see how beautiful you are when you come on top of me. Come on, baby girl; come on my cock.”

She went flying over the edge with his commanding voice in her ear and his name on her lips. The world exploded into stars around her as her inner walls pulsed around his length, drawing a series of grunts from his throat. She held on as long as she could before collapsing with him inside her. He caught her easily and took the opportunity to place gentle kisses along her neck and whisper soothing words to her.

“Rey,” he murmured as she came down from her high, “I told you that you’d be coming all night, and I don’t break my promises.”

She squirmed and clenched at the heat in his voice, freezing the moment she realized that he was still inside her, hard and waiting. 

“Don’t worry, baby girl. You know I like it when you squeeze my cock with your tight little pussy,” he purred, holding her tightly to his chest. “But I know you’re probably tired. Will you let me take over now?”

She nodded against him, and he rolled them so she was beneath him, his length still resting within her. He reached behind him and grasped her legs, bending them to tuck her knees against her chest. 

The first thing she noticed when he sheathed himself inside her was how much deeper he could reach in this position. She could feel his tip tickling a spot so far inside her that she was sure it had never been touched before. 

The second thing she noticed was how much tighter she felt around him. When he started to move, she realized that meant more friction for them both, and she couldn’t help the shiver that traveled down her spine. 

He started off with a steady pace, thrusting gently into her and watching her face intently. Rey’s lips parted at the sensations blossoming inside her. She had thought that what she experienced before was mind-blowing, but somehow she could tell that Ben was about to show her more. 

As if he could read her thoughts, he increased his pace and depth, and Rey’s jaw dropped. Each time he bottomed out, he hit a bundle of nerves deep inside that sent waves of pleasure raging through her. She grasped his forearms for support, trying to ground herself before her lust completely dragged her under. 

She should have known it would be futile. 

“You like that, baby girl?” Ben husked above her. “You like when I fuck your tight little pussy with my hard cock?” 

Rey’s only response was a needy whimper that she hardly recognized as her own. 

“Do you want more?” he rumbled.

She whined again, completely intoxicated by desire, clutching his arms tighter as he plunged into her. 

“Tell me what you want,” he demanded. “Say it.”

“Harder, Ben!” she moaned helplessly. “Harder!”

He grabbed her hips with an aroused growl, pulling her toward him, seating himself even deeper within her. She cried out his name, and he started to pound into her, his hips snapping against her. As he hit the sensitive zone in her walls again and again, she began to feel a different kind of heat pooling deep within her core, driving her toward a new peak. 

“You’re going to come again for me, aren’t you, baby girl?” he panted, his muscles rippling. “You’re going to come while I fuck that hot little pussy hard with my cock.”

Rey thrashed under him in ecstasy as he drove her wild with desire. The bed beneath them shook as he hammered into her, the headboard striking the wall with each blow. Each time the wood cracked against the concrete, Rey’s pleasure climbed higher. With one last powerful thrust, he pushed her over the edge, and she screamed his name, clamping down on him over and over as she climaxed. 

He roared out her name as she drew his orgasm from him. His hot spend splattered against her walls as his hips jerked erratically, drawing another wave of rapture from her. Rey’s legs slid from her chest to the mattress, and Ben fell across her body, catching himself on his elbows before he crushed her. 

  
He rolled to the side and tucked her against his body, kissing her sweetly as their legs tangled. 

“Rey,” he said softly when they came up for air. “That was…”

“Unbelievable?” she supplied, grinning at him.

He nodded in agreement, smiling crookedly back at her as he pulled her close. 

“I’m so glad it was you,” she confessed as she snuggled sleepily against his chest. 

The last thing she heard before she drifted off was a whispered, “Me too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, readers, for joining me for smutmuffins and tea! Your support is so appreciated.
> 
> Thank you, bellestar, for being a fantastic beta and friend. You are the best!
> 
> One more chapter to go! (I'm not crying; you're crying.)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please mind the tags- sexually explicit material ahead! 
> 
> It's the last chapter! I can't believe it!!!

Rey’s key had barely scraped the inside of the lock on the door of her and Rose’s apartment when the knob flew out of her hand. Rey looked up to find Rose surveying her from across the open doorway with one eyebrow raised and a smirk a mile wide.

“What?” asked Rey innocently.

“Don’t even try that with me, Rey,” Rose said, planting her hands on her hips. “You just show up at two in the afternoon wearing last night’s clothes, after leaving with the sexy photographer, and you expect me to… what? Act like nothing happened? Do you even know me?” 

“What about you?” Rey shot back. “When I left, you were giving Hux a lap dance!”

“Oh that’s rich coming from someone with  _ three  _ hickeys…  _ that I can see!” _

“Alright, alright. Fine,” Rey yielded, reddening. “But I’m coming inside. I don’t think the whole building needs to hear this conversation.”

“You’re just lucky Finn and Poe weren’t home to witness your walk of shame!” Rose crowed, stepping aside to let Rey inside.

Rey rolled her eyes and groaned, “They don’t need to know the details.”

“But I most definitely do,” Rose said, her eyes glittering with glee as she snapped the door shut. “Tell me everything.”

“That might take a bit, and Ben’s sort of waiting for me to come back, so maybe I can summarize while I pack my overnight bag?” Rey suggested hopefully.

“You’re staying the night with him again? You marvelous slut!” Rose exclaimed. 

“I had a really great time with him, Rose. We talked like half the night. Being around him makes me happy, so yeah, I’m going back over to his place,” Rey answered dreamily as Rose followed her into Rey’s bedroom.

“Rey, that’s really wonderful to hear, and I’m very excited for you, but those are not the kind of details that I’m looking for,” Rose said dryly while Rey started throwing clothes into her duffel bag. 

“Well, what  _ do _ you want to know?” Rey asked, realizing her mistake as soon as the words were out of her mouth. 

“What  _ don’t _ I want to know?” Rose began pacing the room as she fired questions at Rey. “Did you come again? Did he eat you out? How many times did you have sex? Did you call him Daddy? What does his dick look like?”

“Rose…” Rey said warningly.

“You were locked up in the guy’s sex dungeon for like fifteen hours, and you can’t answer any of those questions?! You’re killing me!” Rose shouted, gesturing wildly.

“Calm down, Rose,” Rey huffed. “The answer to your question is yes.”

“Don’t toy with me, Rey,” Rose replied dangerously. “Yes to what?”

“If you must know, yes, he ate me out, and yes, I came,” Rey said, biting her lip.

“Now we’re getting somewhere!” Rose declared. “How many times?”

“Four,” Rey answered. 

“Are you trying to tell me he made you come  _ four _ times last night?” Rose’s eyebrows shot up incredulously.

“No,” Rey responded. “I’m trying to tell you he ate me out four times last night. I came… more than that.”

“You lucky little bitch,” Rose said, her eyes narrowing. “You lost count, didn’t you?”

“I was distracted!” Rey replied defensively.

“Yeah, I’ll bet you were,” Rose returned emphatically. “Now I can see why you’re in such a hurry to get back. You found yourself a sex slave.”

“He is  _ not _ my sex slave,” Rey sighed, exasperated.

“So then he’s your Daddy?” Rose inquired.

Rey groaned, “I’m never going to hear the end of this, am I?”

Rose’s eyes sparkled mischievously. “Not a chance.” 

An hour later, after miraculously escaping Rose’s endless stream of questions to shower and change, Rey found herself back in the comforting circle of Ben’s arms. He kissed her like she had been gone for a month and half instead of an hour and a half, desperately slanting his mouth over hers as soon as she walked in the door. Rey decided she could get used to this kind of treatment as she felt his tongue slide between her lips and she melted into his embrace. 

When they finally came up for air, Ben smiled down at her and asked, “How did it go with Rose? Did she give you a hard time?”

“Rose never goes easy on me,” Rey remarked, wincing.

“Was she upset about you staying with me this weekend?” he inquired with concern. 

“More like rabidly interested,” she answered. “I barely escaped death by grilling.” 

Ben chuckled, “I’m glad you made it back in one piece.”

“Oh really? And why is that exactly?” Rey asked playfully, raising an eyebrow.

“Because,” he said, his voice dropping as he brought his lips to her ear, “I have plans for you, baby girl.”

Rey shivered at the promise in his words, wondering what new pleasures Ben would show her. The man seemed to be utterly insatiable where she was concerned, and she understood the feeling. She had never spent much time thinking about sex before she met Ben, but now, just being in his presence was enough to make her aroused.

She hummed with mock uncertainty. “And what does this plan entail?”

“You need to open your present for starters,” he answered with a smile, gesturing to a wrapped box on the coffee table in the living room.

Her eyes lit with surprise and delight. “You got me a present?” 

“Of course I did,” Ben confirmed, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “You deserve to be spoiled.”

Rey blushed and stared at him in wonder, at a loss for words. Her foster father had ingrained in her that she deserved nothing, that she was nothing. But from the moment Ben had walked into her life, he had been gently teaching her a different lesson about her worth.

“Thank you, Ben,” Rey finally managed, tears springing to her eyes as she hugged him tightly.

He held her close, his lips resting in her hair as he spoke, “Rey, I mean it. You are such a beautiful person, inside and out; you deserve every good thing that comes to you. And I intend to show you that every day, if you’ll let me.”

“I like the sound of that,” she answered shyly as she nuzzled his neck.

“Good girl,” he praised her, causing her to blush again. “Now, go open it.”

She placed a brief, chaste kiss on his lips before disentangling herself from his arms and making her way to the coffee table where her gift was waiting. She snatched up the package and flopped down on the loveseat to open it. When she tore off the paper and cracked open the lid of the box, she gasped, unable to take her eyes away from its contents. With trembling fingers, she pulled it out of the box and held it up so she could study it.

Ben’s present was a stunning garment made of the most beautiful emerald silk and black lace she had ever seen. The piece was roughly the size and shape of a form-fitting mini-dress, barely long enough to cover her ass. The neckline dipped low between the sheer lace cups meant for her breasts. Rey flushed as she realized it was, in fact, a very fancy piece of lingerie, designed only to be worn only in the bedroom.

She snuck a glance at Ben, who was watching her intently from across the coffee table, clearly waiting for her reaction. 

“It’s gorgeous,” she breathed, still scrambling to put her scattered thoughts together. “Thank you so much.”

“It’s my pleasure,” Ben said, flashing her his signature crooked grin and coming to sit beside her. “There’s actually more underneath the tissue paper.”

Rey folded back the next few layers of tissue to reveal a pair of black, thigh-high boots with three inch stiletto heels. They looked suspiciously similar to the ones that she had so forcefully resisted purchasing last time she was at the mall with Rose. Of course, Rose had wanted her to wear them in public; wearing them just for Ben felt very different. 

There was just one problem.

“They’re perfect, Ben. I’m just not sure I can actually walk in them,” Rey said delicately, not wanting to seem ungrateful. 

He leaned to murmur in her ear, “Who says they’re for walking, Rey?” 

Rey let out a surprised little “oh” as he punctuated his words by nipping at her earlobe. 

He continued, “I had hoped you’d pose for me while wearing them.”

“I’d love to,” she answered without hesitation.

“Good girl,” he purred. “I’ll get my camera while you change.”

As she shed her clothes, Rey thought back to the first time Ben had photographed her. She had been reluctant and incredibly nervous. Now, as she searched her feelings, she realized she was simply excited for the process. She enjoyed dressing up for him, letting his admiring gaze flow over her, and listening as his deep voice commanded her every move. 

She slipped her new lingerie over her naked body, realizing belatedly that it hadn’t come with any panties. While she sat down and slipped on the tall boots, she contemplated whether or not one was even supposed to wear underwear with such a garment. Before she could come to a conclusion, Ben returned with his camera in hand, and she forgot about anything but his heated stare. 

“You look extraordinary,” he said, swallowing as he looked down at her. 

“Thank you,” she replied, taking her lower lip between her teeth as she peered up through her lashes. “How do you want me?”

The words hung in the air between them for a moment before Rey realized how suggestive they sounded. Before she had time to get flustered and second guess herself, Ben swooped down and picked her up. He carried her bridal-style across the living room and into the studio area, setting her down on a long, black, upholstered bench next to a full-length mirror. 

“Get on your hands and knees, facing the mirror,” he told her smoothly. 

She arranged herself lengthwise on the bench, kneeling with her head facing the mirror and her hands braced on the upholstery in front of her. 

“Good girl,” he praised her. “Now let your elbows fall to the bench, brace yourself on your forearms, and stretch like a cat.”

Rey complied, watching herself in the mirror as she moved her body according to his wishes. She blushed as she took in her reflection, noticing how her nipples strained against the sheer fabric and how high her barely-covered ass went in the air as she bent her torso down. 

“Yes, Rey, just like that,” Ben said hoarsely from behind the camera as the shutter began to click. 

Her eyes followed him as he moved around her, photographing her form from every possible angle. She was so focused on tracking the lens and holding the pose that it took her a moment to realize that he had lowered the camera from his face. When her eyes met his, the hunger she saw in them took her breath away. 

Never dropping his smoldering gaze from hers, he set down his camera. He stepped around the bench, coming to stand directly behind her, and she found his eyes again in the mirror, only to lose them again when he dropped to his knees. 

She felt him palm her ass, pushing the hem of the little skirt up over her hips until she could feel his hot breath on her wet center. He squeezed each cheek with one huge hand and she tilted her pelvis up toward him, displaying herself to him. There was something thrilling about having him behind her, where she couldn’t even begin to predict his next move. 

A whimper escaped her lips when his tongue was suddenly pressed against her slit, lapping at the moisture there. He hummed contentedly as he did, taking his time to taste every fold he could reach, until she began to squirm in anticipation. 

He slid his tongue slowly into her entrance then, and she moaned at how deep he could reach in this position. He stroked her inside with the tip of his tongue, sending new sensations spiraling through her. Dragging his tongue along her walls, he backed out, only to thrust back in enthusiastically. 

As he continued his ministrations with his tongue, he slipped one hand around the front of her thigh to find her clit. Electricity shot through her spine as he circled the little bundle of nerves, and she gasped as heat began to pool in her core in response. 

When she started to meet his rhythm with her hips, he didn’t stop her. Instead, he doubled his efforts, working on her faster and harder, until she was groaning his name in time with his strokes. The tension built rapidly in her belly, stretching tighter as she called his name louder, and then all at once, it snapped. 

Her climax hit her full force, making her quiver inside and out as Ben guided her through the waves of pleasure. He supported her with an arm around her hips when she threatened to collapse. Leaving one final kiss at her center, he stood behind her, still holding her up in her boneless state. 

He locked eyes with her in the mirror as he straightened, taking himself in hand and rubbing his hard length through her drenched folds languidly. His voice was husky when he spoke, “Rey, I want you to do something for me.”

Mesmerized by his burning gaze and his presence between her legs, Rey breathed, “Anything.”

“What a good girl, so eager to please me,” Ben praised.

“Always,” she moaned as the head of his manhood slotted at her entrance.

“You’re going to watch in that mirror while I fuck you, so you can see how beautiful you are,” he commanded in his deep voice.

Her breath hitched at his request, and he continued more gently, “Can you do that for me, baby girl?”

She knew he only wanted her to see what he saw, to heal the hurt that her foster father had caused so long ago, and she trusted him to help her. She nodded her consent, never dropping her gaze from his reflection.

“Good girl,” he said, kissing up her spine tenderly, helping her relax as he slid slowly inside her. 

The stretch was exquisite now that she knew what to expect, and she angled her hips to welcome his length without resistance. He hadn’t taken her in this position before, so she was pleasantly surprised at how deep his tip reached when his balls rested against her ass. He rested there for a moment, and she relished the feeling of being completely filled. 

As if he could hear her thoughts, he rumbled, “You take my cock so well in that tight little pussy.”

She clenched around him and moaned his name, spurring him on. She watched his muscles ripple in the mirror as he pulled out of her, dragging along her walls, until only the head remained inside. He sheathed himself within her again, filling her in one long stroke. 

His pace was slow and controlled at first. He reached down to fondle her breasts as he moved, rolling the nipples between his fingers through the lace. She arched into his hands eagerly, gasping as his attention to the sensitive flesh sent shivers through her body. She tightened around his manhood as she trembled, and she was rewarded with a masculine groan.

“That’s right, baby girl,” he said hoarsely as he increased his pace. “Squeeze my hard cock with your wet pussy while I play with your pretty tits.”

She began to rock back to meet his thrusts, seeking more friction, and her eyes slipped shut. He stilled immediately, reminding her, “Open your eyes, Rey. I need you to watch.”

Her eyes popped open, and she found his heated gaze in the mirror once again. 

“That’s my good girl,” he crooned as he straightened up and grabbed her waist to pound into her once again. “Look at how beautiful you are when I fuck you.”

Rey stared at the reflection in front of her trepidatiously as Ben hammered into her from behind, hitting that spot deep inside her only he could reach. It was difficult to pay attention as her abdomen tightened with her rising pleasure, but she was determined to do as Ben asked. 

As his hips snapped against her ass, she studied herself in the mirror. Her eyes followed the path of her spine, stopping to acknowledge the soft curves at her waist and the tight globes of her buttocks where Ben was pressed against her. She watched as the gentle swells of her breasts rose and fell like ocean waves with each of his thrusts, her tanned skin flushed a delicate pink color that she associated with the sunset. 

She groaned his name loudly as she approached her climax, and Ben murmured, “Come for me, baby girl. I want you to see how amazing you look when you come on my cock.”

His fingers trailed down from her waist and over her hip, finally coming to rest on her clit. He circled the little bundle of nerves tightly as he drove into her harder, and she knew her orgasm was inevitable. She struggled to keep her gaze on her reflection as she peaked, her wide pupils swirling with lust and her rosy lips parted in a cry of ecstasy. Captivated, she stared at her reflection as tremor after tremor of pleasure rocked through every inch of her body. 

Ben chased his own climax with deep, hard thrusts while she clenched around him. Her eyes flicked up to watch his euphoric expression as an animalistic roar tore from his throat and he pumped her full of his hot spend. 

“You were perfect, baby girl,” Ben panted as he fell forward, catching himself on his palms before he collapsed on top of her. 

He placed soft, open-mouthed kisses across her neck as they came down from their high, his softening length still pressed firmly inside her. Turning her head to the side, she caught his mouth with hers, their lips moving together gently, and she reveled in the overwhelming sense of belonging and safety she felt being so tightly entwined with him.

Once they had recovered, Ben pulled slowly out of Rey as he straightened behind her. She stretched upwards, raising her arms over her head and she knelt on the bench. He stepped toward her, winding his arms around her from behind and kissing her temple as they gazed at each other in the mirror. 

“How do you feel, Rey?” he asked quietly. 

She stared for a moment at her reflection, flushed, blissful, and wrapped in Ben’s affection, and she could only think of one response.

“Beautiful.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Readers, thank you so much for taking this journey with me! I so appreciate the time you took to read this story, to leave kudos, and to comment. You have made this so special for me. 
> 
> Thank you so much to my beta, bellestar, for all of her support in the creation of this fic. You make it so much fun to write!


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